Some people have nothing better to do

[dodgy umpire]

reading through this it seems some people will use any occasion to have a go at sinn fein

[Solomon Kane]

Local sports teams should not be included in this concept, a person should be able to indicate their support for a team in their own  area. The Celtic, Rangers tripe is largely about politics and not sport, but they are not local and they could be prohibited.

Bullshit. A line has to be drawn and that should be included in local sports. Sadly we are a bit away from mutual tolerance. Linfield and Donegal Cletic are local teams and I would not want that crap in my workplace. The SSA is right to ban all flags and emblems from the workplace, as should any employer.

[SLIGONIAN]

The below is taken from the BBC website. I think all workspaces should be neutral- no war memorials in Council chambers no pictures  of the Enniskillen bomb victims-no GAA flags NOTHING-I bet we won't see Arlene Foster supporting this lady the way she and Lord Humpty Dumpty (Morrow) mouthed of about the picture in Enniskillen fire station



A civil servant has been ordered to remove a Tyrone GAA flag from her car after a complaint from a colleague in Strabane.

The incident happened on Wednesday, when her car was parked at the town's benefits office on Urney Road.

The Social Security Agency said it had taken the decision because of a legal duty to maintain a neutral workplace.

However, Aodhan Harkin, of Sigersons GAA Club in Strabane, said a Tyrone flag was in no way offensive.

"I thought we had started to move on in this country," he said.

"We accept everybody else's cultures but we can't accept our own.

"I think there's something drastically wrong if somebody's offended by a Tyrone flag."

Ordered by who to take it down? . No one would have legal right to order to take it off, its not on the list of illegal flags. The car is her property. So i would just of said f*ck off with pleasure to whoever asked me to take it down .

[fred the red]

Whenever i worked in a large department store, my assistant manager complained to my manager because i had brought the irish news into work.

How bigotted is that??!!

[Solomon Kane]

The below is taken from the BBC website. I think all workspaces should be neutral- no war memorials in Council chambers no pictures  of the Enniskillen bomb victims-no GAA flags NOTHING-I bet we won't see Arlene Foster supporting this lady the way she and Lord Humpty Dumpty (Morrow) mouthed of about the picture in Enniskillen fire station



A civil servant has been ordered to remove a Tyrone GAA flag from her car after a complaint from a colleague in Strabane.

The incident happened on Wednesday, when her car was parked at the town's benefits office on Urney Road.

The Social Security Agency said it had taken the decision because of a legal duty to maintain a neutral workplace.

However, Aodhan Harkin, of Sigersons GAA Club in Strabane, said a Tyrone flag was in no way offensive.

"I thought we had started to move on in this country," he said.

"We accept everybody else's cultures but we can't accept our own.

"I think there's something drastically wrong if somebody's offended by a Tyrone flag."

Ordered by who to take it down? . No one would have legal right to order to take it off, its not on the list of illegal flags. The car is her property. So i would just of said f*ck off with pleasure to whoever asked me to take it down .

And the car-park is government property which is bound by flags and emblems legislation.

[J70]

If the carpark is provided by the government and is thus part of the workplace, I don't see how it doesn't come under this legislation, at least as I understand it having read this thread.

Petty in the extreme, but this is what happens when a society has to try to accommodate at-odds groups who take offense at every little symbol displayed by the other. Its like the prohibition on religious symbols in public property in the US - the approach seems to be that it is better to have none at all than to give implicit approval to one at the expense of others. Of course, this irks many people, particularly christians who want to have their symbols recognized but would be up in arms if an islamic or wiccan display was allowed also.

[KCGaelicFootball]

so no answer to the question then

you have gotten an answer.

petty, but technically correct.

What AFR really means is that he didn't get an answer he liked...

Oh well, we must assume he got the answer he deserved, since he has failed to come back again...

whom  are you talking about didn't come back???

AFR (An Fear Rua).

I hope it's the "American" in you, and not the "Irish", which makes you so obtuse*.

* - No relation of George Dubya, by any chance?

Obtuse? I am not. I am also not related to that idiot in office now.

[dublinfella]

so no answer to the question then

you have gotten an answer.

petty, but technically correct.

lets see

The question(s) asked where
Does she do any work in her car?
Does the offended do anywork in said car?
Is the car provided by her work?
Is it a private or Public carpark? Is the car park considered as a place of work? Are they allowed to work in their cars instead of at their desks?

None of which have been answered, hardly surprising, as no admits on here to working in said environment

then we had


how exactly does this contravene a neutral workplace policy?

and the "answer" consisted of  5 questions of whatabouterry , a tepid attempt to agree with the describing it as pettyness but defending the action , and the word "Semantics". - a pretty standard response from said poster, and no indication what so ever of what policy or law had been broken. This is on top of an obtuse reference to a scenario in a chemists shop in belfast when a customer, not an employee, made a complaint.

All in all technically devoid of substance
<insert gap for later quotation to allow for lame personal comback based on text above>

An answer, would consist of say, A reference to the policy document, the policy itself and maybe if generous, an outline of how the scenario in strabane could have broken the rules.

But with "answers" like these who needs enemies, enjoy your circle......

Whats the circle. Not one person has defended the complaint. All thats being said is thait appears she is well within her rights to complain about this. Thats a stupid situation, but that is the one that people who work in the 6 counties find themselves in.

There has been a number of petty complaints, from both sides. That is all.

If you chose to go off on one because people say that, all you are doing is fullfilling the sterotype of the whining nordie.

[KCGaelicFootball]

If you chose to go off on one because people say that, all you are doing is fullfilling the sterotype of the whining nordie.

[ziggysego]

A Unionist MLA was on the BBC News complaining about the Tyrone flag and how symbolism shouldn't be flown or displayed.























He was wearing a Norn Iron coat in the interview.

[Bensars]

The irony of all this was that Derek Hussey ( unionost councillor on Strabane DC) turned up for the TV interview wearing a Northern Ireland Jacket.

I would hope that the Urney Road would now be plastered in red and white flags so the person who made this petty complaint can be reminded every morning and evening they go to and from work !

Just as a matter of interest, if a red and white flag is deemed offensive, would the 'wear your poppy with pride' badges also be considered offensive ?

[KCGaelicFootball]

A Unionist MLA was on the BBC News complaining about the Tyrone flag and how symbolism shouldn't be flown or displayed.

That is typical. No surprise there.























He was wearing a Norn Iron coat in the interview.

[DrinknHarp]

A Unionist MLA was on the BBC News complaining about the Tyrone flag and how symbolism shouldn't be flown or displayed.























He was wearing a Norn Iron coat in the interview.

If the jacket was hanging on a clothesline it would of been a different story

[J70]

The irony of all this was that Derek Hussey ( unionost councillor on Strabane DC) turned up for the TV interview wearing a Northern Ireland Jacket.

I would hope that the Urney Road would now be plastered in red and white flags so the person who made this petty complaint can be reminded every morning and evening they go to and from work !

Just as a matter of interest, if a red and white flag is deemed offensive, would the 'wear your poppy with pride' badges also be considered offensive ?

It would appear so.

[Bensars]

Think this is political correctness gone mad. One compliant and action is taken. All it takes is for ONE bitter twisted individual on political crusade to effect change in a workforce of 100's.

Was it not in Strabane again in 2005 that a member of the public complained about a Tyrone flag on a fire brigade or fire station. ( i could be wrong)