Discrimination against the GAA in the north - action request

[Minder]

It certainly should be brought up with Tescos, the animals in the UUP will never change.

[Maguire01]

I really don't see the point in raising it with Tesco Ireland. Surely it's the UK firm that should be contacted - i'd assume that for an operation of its size there is a senior manager in charge of operations in NI.

[Son_of_Sam]

That's a complete disgrace, its really awful that a bias against the GAA still exists. I have actually experienced a similar bias from a friend when I lived up in Dublin, her dad was a teacher in a non-denominational or multi-denominational school in a leafy Dublin suburb. I asked her would it be possible for her to put in a word with her dad for me and a few of the lads from the team to go talk to the 5'th & 6'th years seeing would they be interested in joining our football club. Her response was that it was a non-denominational, non-sectarian school. I was like "what the fcuk do you mean non-sectarian?" She said GAA might not be appropriate to the ethos. I responded by asking her did they play cricket there, she responded yes, to which I said "well where I come from cricket isn't very fckn non-denominational". Now we are friends & she wasn't having a go, but its an attitude that exists in certain parts of Dublin, especially south of the river. What surprised me more about her attitude is that her boyfriend is mad into hurling & a culchie.

[armaghniac]

I really don't see the point in raising it with Tesco Ireland. Surely it's the UK firm that should be contacted - i'd assume that for an operation of its size there is a senior manager in charge of operations in NI.

Absolutely raise it with management in the 6 counties, but all Tesco should be boycotted if they don't sort this. The GAA is not partitionist. Tesco is not entirely separate North and South in any case, I encountered a Tesco guy at a careers thing in the North, he was more than familiar with Tesco operations in Dublin. 

[Maroon Heaven]

Tesco Northern Ireland is the operating company behind all tesco stores in the North. Its a disgrace that a Manager should ask 12 year old children to leave a store because they were wearing GAA jerseys.

The UUP will never change but Tesco should have had more cop on to listen to the Bigots and then standing side by side with them.

All members of the GAA should boycott Tescos until this matter is resolved.





I am also surprised this has not got more exposure on this site. Its causing a stir on a lot of other sites. Includng p.ie http://www.politics.ie/northern-ireland/64429-gaa-charity-bag-pack-kids-told-remove-their-gaa-tops.html

[full back]

Absolutely raise it with management in the 6 counties, but all Tesco should be boycotted if they don't sort this.

Dont want to be a killjoy but this simply wont happen. Not enough people would be willing to boycott from the GAA side of things to make a difference.
IMHO, if Tesco were to take a stand for the children a lot more UUP supporters would boycott Tesco & cause a furore.
Tesco are in business to make money & at the end of the day that is all they care about

[Gnevin]

That's a complete disgrace, its really awful that a bias against the GAA still exists. I have actually experienced a similar bias from a friend when I lived up in Dublin, her dad was a teacher in a non-denominational or multi-denominational school in a leafy Dublin suburb. I asked her would it be possible for her to put in a word with her dad for me and a few of the lads from the team to go talk to the 5'th & 6'th years seeing would they be interested in joining our football club. Her response was that it was a non-denominational, non-sectarian school. I was like "what the fcuk do you mean non-sectarian?" She said GAA might not be appropriate to the ethos. I responded by asking her did they play cricket there, she responded yes, to which I said "well where I come from cricket isn't very fckn non-denominational". Now we are friends & she wasn't having a go, but its an attitude that exists in certain parts of Dublin, especially south of the river. What surprised me more about her attitude is that her boyfriend is mad into hurling & a culchie.

I very much doubt this story . I've never heard of a "non-denominational, non-sectarian" school down here or anyone who would consider the GAA sectarian. Care to say which suburb is was?

[T Fearon]

I'm going to contact Tescos and gaa headquarters and would urge every individual to do like likewise! Every little helps!

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

Absolutely raise it with management in the 6 counties, but all Tesco should be boycotted if they don't sort this.

Dont want to be a killjoy but this simply wont happen. Not enough people would be willing to boycott from the GAA side of things to make a difference.
IMHO, if Tesco were to take a stand for the children a lot more UUP supporters would boycott Tesco & cause a furore.
Tesco are in business to make money & at the end of the day that is all they care about

Whilst I agree with you that a boycott probably wouldn't get the support it should, I disagree with your assumption that alot of UUP supporters would boycott if Tesco's "took a stand", the fact is that there is only a small rump of UUP supporters that would support the dinosaur Watson and his views, possibly more DUP supporters would react but then 2 for 1 has a big drawing power.
If Tesco's thought that there would be any kind of negative reaction from the GAA community in Ireland (by far the single biggest grouping in the country) they would have to react in a positive way.
Tony if you get the chance to pen a letter of complaint, would you mind posting it here as I would be happy to add my name to it and forward it on to Tesco's and the GAA.

[Gnevin]

Councillor furious at claims over Tesco GAA shirts row

By Matthew McCreary
Thursday, 30 April 2009


An Antrim councillor has hit out after being accused of complaining about a charity supermarket bag packing by members of a local GAA club.


Adrian Watson, who is also the Ulster Unionist deputy mayor of Antrim, said he was angry that his name had been brought into the furore surrounding the story after it was featured on the BBC's Talk Back programme yesterday.

Youngsters from St Comghall's club were taking part in the event at the Tesco store in Antrim town on Sunday when they were asked to remove their GAA shirts and carry out the work in plain T-shirts.

The request by a Tesco manager was made after members of the public and a local political representative objected to the items of clothing being worn.

Mr Watson said the political representative mentioned in the story was not him. He added that he was contacted by angry constituents the following day and that he had tried to defuse the situation.

And he branded reports that he had been involved in complaining as "a load of nonsense".

"I have not spoken to or complained to Tesco," he said.

"I had people in my office complaining about it on Monday. I asked them not to go down there and get into an argument.

"I quietened people down. It wasn't me that was there."

Mr Watson said that Tesco should have put more thought into the event because of the angry reaction he had witnessed from constituents.

"It could have been quite confrontational from other members of the community," he said. "I have worked to defuse that. I have no difficulty with the GAA club."

A Tesco spokesperson said that it was the company's policy to ask that groups wear their uniforms so customers will know the organisation for which they are collecting.

"This gives the customer the option to go to another checkout if they do not wish to support this particular organisation," they said.

"On Sunday we had a number of very vociferous complaints both in person and on the phone, including one from a political representative, regarding the wearing of the GAA shirts while the group were collecting.

"It is understandable that our duty manager then deviated from Tesco policy and asked that those packing should do so in plain T-shirts. Subsequently we have had several complaints to the store, both from those opposed to the GAA shirts being worn and those opposed to the duty manager asking for the shirts to be removed."

The company said it was re-assessing its bag-packing procedures from yesterday.

South Antrim SDLP Assemblyman Thomas Burns said he would be seeking an apology on behalf of the young people involved over the matter.

He said: "I find it deeply disappointing and shameful in the extreme. If it happened to my children they would not be going back."

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/councillor-furious-at-claims-over-tesco-gaa-shirts-row-14284899.html

[T Fearon]

Have emailed Tesco complaints in my capacity as a Tesco clubcard holder and will post the response from the Company.

Gist of my complaint was that the GAA is a proud amateur sporting /cultural organisation that has provided an invaluable service to the people of all Ireland for 125 years, and is offensive only to irrational hard headed anti Irish and anti catholic bigots in the North Of Ireland, and it is outrageous that young schoolchildren were demeaned in such a shameful way. I also said that I would now reconsider my options shopping wise and I know that thousands of people right across Ireland will do likewise.

[maddog]

Have emailed Tesco complaints in my capacity as a Tesco clubcard holder and will post the response from the Company.

Gist of my complaint was that the GAA is a proud amateur sporting /cultural organisation that has provided an invaluable service to the people of all Ireland for 125 years, and is offensive only to irrational hard headed anti Irish and anti catholic bigots in the North Of Ireland, and it is outrageous that young schoolchildren were demeaned in such a shameful way. I also said that I would now reconsider my options shopping wise and I know that thousands of people right across Ireland will do likewise.

What email address Tony ?

[Bud Wiser]

There is a bit more effort required here.  From all of us.  These children deserve better.  It is no use Tesco taking the high ground by saying they are going to reconsider their bag packing policy and this issue will just be forgotton about in weeks.  Fair play to Tony for writing the letter but we all need to make an effort here now and every single one of us on this board need to make the effort of printing off a standard worded letter that we all agree with and then take the further trouble of buying a stamp and posting the letter.  There is no point talking about it here and for that matter there would be no great expense in buying two stamps and sending a complaint to both North and Dunlaoiire HQ's.  As I have said earlier, the letter should ask the question, or ask Tesco if we could have a reply stating that the incident will not be repeated and that they will not discontinue bag packing in the standard way wherby clubs and associations, can wear their associated uniforms.

[T Fearon]

Can't find an email address anywhere but you can lodge a complaint/query by means of filling in a box on the Tesco Clubcard website and sending it on via the website, and you have to include your clubcard number, name and email address. Receipt of my complaint has already been acknowledged. Bit of a bummer if you don't have a clubcard. Will keep you posted.

[Katchit]

Please telephone our Customer Service Helpdesk on 0845 300 70 80 (8am - 8pm Monday to Saturday, 10am - 4pm Sunday and Bank Holidays. Calls may be recorded.).

Our Customer Service Adviser will ask you about the nature of your complaint and seek to resolve the problem while you are on the line. If this is not possible we will agree a course of action with you.

You may also submit your complaint in writing to: Tesco home phone, PO Box 5879, Forres IV36 2YF.

Or via an e-mail enquiry to support@tescohomephone.com

During any discussions we will protect the privacy of the information that we hold on you. We may have to ask you questions to confirm that we are speaking to the right person.