An investigation has been launched after a Salford council bin lorry was spotted displaying a BNP leaflet in the windscreen.The bin lorry was doing its rounds in Lumber Lane, Worsley, when a resident captured the prominently positioned leaflet on camera.
Ben Cardwell, 24, who lives with fiancee Louise Morris, 29, said: "It took me totally by surprise. I was shocked by it. I called my fiancee to have a look and we both couldn't believe it. I wanted to put a complaint to the council. We didn't think it was allowed to put stickers up supporting any political party, never mind the BNP."
The council say investigations are continuing, but union bosses say the staff responsible should be suspended with immediate effect.
Alec McFadden, of Salford Unison, said: "I have never known any public authority to allow support of any political party, whether that be Labour or the Conservatives. It makes it ten times worse that it is the BNP - a fascist, racist organisation. The council should be taking immediate action and should suspend whoever is involved as soon as possible. The investigation should take place to find out who is involved but the council should be seen to respond quickly. This is a very serious matter."
Salford council has confirmed formal action will be taken against whoever put the flyer on the wagon, but has stressed it is still investigating the claims.
Coun Joe Murphy said: "The council has clear rules against using council property to promote political parties in this way. I've asked for a full investigation and formal action will be taken. However, until the investigation has been completed it's not appropriate to comment any further."
Manchester Evening News
9 comments:
The driver should be sacked and denied a living make an example of him this will not be tolerated.
And the driver's immediate supervisor and also those further up line management should be sacked or at least demoted for lack of vigilance and possible connivance in permitting this outrage.
'The driver should be sacked and denied a living make an example of him this will not be tolerated.'
That would equal one more on the dole queue which is not going to help anyone!!
If he does a good job, then he shouldn't lose it. He just needs to be reprimanded or have a written warning.
The driver cannot have acted alone. Each truck usually has a crew of three or four. The entire crew of this truck must be sacked and blacklisted never to be re-employed by any local authority.
But this could be only the tip of the iceberg. The rot may have spread further and possibly the entire depot should be investigated. There has been trouble in Salford with lower payed, often ethnic, agency workers employed by the refuse department. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/6230570.stm
This may well be the 'British Jobs for British Workers' syndrome so deviously expoited by the BNP. If so, it must be rooted out like a cancer.
Who's going to be dumb enough to openly display a BNP poster in their vehicle? Let alone their work vehicle. It could just be that the leaflet was picked up with a pile of papers and shoved on the dashboard for convenience rather that allegiance.
If thats not the case, then its worrying that council contractors are blatantly displaying BNP affiliations.
But I dont find that picture convincing, theres too much other stuff shoved up on the top.
I'm with Anon of 4.31pm on this one.
Give the person(s) responsible a good bollocking and warning, but sacking them would just feed any feelings of support for the BNP.
Don't make a Martyr for Griffin.
Disagree about sacking these guys. It would be counterproductive to demand management sack workers. Give them a warning and get Black workers on the council to have a word.
We cant be soft on people like this, he should be sacked and blacklisted and never employed by anyone again.
Can't agree with the sacking approach even if it was deliberate. Frankly I was shocked when I heard it was Union rather than Management Bosses that first called for action. The Unison guy totally gives off the wrong message. Sacking someone for this sort of offence i.e. displaying a political 'message' is not a sacking offence and to say so because it is the message one does't like is rank hypocracy and ultimately plays into the hands of management.
Post a Comment