The other morning, I rang a work colleague and his pretty secretary answered the phone.
"Hello gorgeous, have you missed me," I cooed on hearing her voice. "That must be you, Mr Freeman," she giggled before putting my call through.
Of course, I got off lightly – since she clearly had no intention of screaming harassment – and we both got on with our day.
I relay the story because sexist banter is a natural part of working culture – I’d even go so far as to say it’s necessary. Necessary because harmless flirtation energises and destresses the working environment, making a happier workforce.
However, it seems that female firearms officer Barbara Lynford doesn’t see it that way. The Gatwick Airport employee has just won a gigantic £575,000 in damages after being harassed by male colleagues who made lewd comments about her breasts and called her a ‘lipstick’, a ‘whoopsy’ and a ‘daisy’.
Apparently Ms Lynford found this so distressing she cried every day, quit her job after a year and was prescribed anti-depressants. I understand her being upset and irritated by the unwelcome bloke culture prevailing in a predominantly male environment. But I am horrified at the totally disproportionate award she has received.
This is compensation culture gone stark raving bonkers. How can one begin to compare hurt feelings with soldiers on the frontline having their bodies blown to pieces for the sake of their country and being awarded a paltry pay-off for their trouble. For example when 21 year old Jamie Cooper was injured in Iraq when two mortar bombs ripped open his stomach and left him paralysed, he received £200,000.
But this is more than just about the staggering inequality of these pay awards. It also speaks volumes about this boo-to-a-goose society which runs sobbing to tribunals because of a bit of banter.
How did we get to this? In my view it’s a direct consequence of political correctness breeding generations of cotton wool kids.
Children can no longer be exposed to any form of ridicule, teasing, or unpleasantness and therefore are woefully ill-equipped to deal with the abrasive reality of life.
School kids – and future grown-ups – are being programmed to regard banter as offensive and unacceptable rather than the norm.
When I was at school, I was teased on a daily basis about being Jewish and even went to chapel to say the Lord’s Prayer in a bid to gain greater acceptance. Now, there was nothing pleasant about fellow pupils making remarks about the size of my nose. But I had no choice other than to accept it, and if anything it toughened me up, and gave me a swift and brutal lesson in how to cope with mindless, unpleasant human behaviour.
Ms Lynford will pocket over 16 years’ salary because our judicial system prioritises name calling over broken bodies. Sticks and stones do more harm – and it’s time extravagant tribunals remembered that.
Don’t blame fox for this trespass
I WAS shocked to read about the twin babies who had been savaged while they slept by an intruding fox.
But while this was an horrific attack, I don’t blame the animals and strongly oppose the knee-jerk call for a cull.
If we insist on destroying foxes’ natural habitat by cannibalizing the countryside, how can we not expect them to trespass into our urban back yards? I wish the little girls a speedy recovery from their terrible ordeal. But if we continue to scar our landscape, then more children like this will bear them too.
Monty got me a two-for-one
DELIGHTED this week that my client, top golfer Colin Montgomerie (above) was successful in his appeal against a speeding conviction. But it was also a victory for another motorist.
It seems the driver in front, who had also been snapped by the same trigger-happy copper, will get his conviction set aside too. Why? Because we were able to demonstrate the defective way in which the officer had been carrying out his checks. To buy one and get one free is a unique situation in a court of law. It’s not often you win a case and get another man off as well. I always feel good about doing pro bono work – even if unintentional.
However, this case proves yet again that our system for targeting speeding motorists is sorely lacking because the police fail to follow their own guidelines. What’s the point of increasing the number of police officers if the instructions they receive and apply are all wrong? Where the speed cops are concerned, buying one and getting one free is something we could probably do without.
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There are people with different personalities who don't always see the lighter side of life as being light. Also, some people are clever at being sarcastic. A lot of human brains are very delicate and don't need much to send them into a negative spin.
Humans are touchy-feely, some too touchy-feely.
The world is full of humans getting each other back just over silly comments.
Whatever this guy says I wont read it as I think he is all that is wrong with the justice system.
[quote name=Esso Blue + Space Dust. Always Look On the Bright Side Of Life, Manchester]There are people with different personalities who don't always see the lighter side of life as being light. Also, some people are clever at being sarcastic. A lot of human brains are very delicate and don't need much to send them into a negative spin.
Humans are touchy-feely, some too touchy-feely.
Give us a HUG !
The world is full of humans getting each other back just over silly comments.[/quote]
[quote name=We Must Perform A Quirkafleeg, The Banyan Tree]Whatever this guy says I wont read it as I think he is all that is wrong with the justice system.[/quote]
I was with Mr freeman up to his advert at the end.
Nick, I thought you make a good point about compensation culture, but then went down the predictable route of turning into a master sociologist and blaming "political correctness breeding generations of cotton wool kids."
May I ask the age difference between your work colleague's pretty secretary and Barbara Lynford, Im interested to work out roughly when this political correctness you talk about took over, and why one woman was affected and one wasn't.
Also, I was under the impression we had a compensation culture because of greedy lawyers ambulance chasing and advertising shamefully in hospitals and dragging cases out to get the maximum amount of money available.
Why consider this, Trafigura were just forced to paycompensation for making residents of the ivory coast ill after dumping chemicals.
Their lawyers fee came to £100m and the compensation claim to £30m.
In my humble view your profession is responsible.
[quote name=Esso Blue + Space Dust. Always Look On the Bright Side Of Life, Manchester]There are people with different personalities who don't always see the lighter side of life as being light. Also, some people are clever at being sarcastic. A lot of human brains are very delicate and don't need much to send them into a negative spin.
If I am right Esso I could type something here that you have not said.
Humans are touchy-feely, some too touchy-feely.
The world is full of humans getting each other back just over silly comments.[/quote]
But to anyone reading it It would look like you had.
Read your blue box above Esso
I've been watching stave on big brother who was blown up by a bomb years ago; he has lost an eye, parts of both legs, he has a big scar on his face and he lost some muscle from his arm and I think he has problems with some fingers on his left hand. Even though Steve lost all these things his mind is sharp and he appears happy, he has done transatlantic yachting and manages to get on with life and if push comes to shove he could probably find work. Take a dilapidated mind and all is rendered useless.
The mind is a main issue. People can harass you till your mind never comes back.
For andanotherthing it's hugs and kisses.
Banter full stop is a healthy part of our daily lives and I have encountered problems with the reception of my humour on making a transition from railway maintanence to static office work and feel that PC rules corporate business'. There is a massive devide between having a healthy joke with someone and bullying and this needs to be made clear to stop people being punished for a natural light hearted jibe. Myself and my girlfriend spend 50% of our time together taking the mick and calling each other names that would be classed as offensive in the work place. I am a child of the 70's and 80's and agree with the fact that our children and young adults are not prepared for the harsh reality of life.
What do you call a gay, irish, female albino with one arm?
[quote name=Esso Blue + Space Dust. Always Look On the Bright Side Of Life, Manchester]There are people with bland personalities who always see the gloomier side of life as being like a pancake. Also, some people are clever and that won't do at all A lot of human brains are very delicate and don't need much to send them into a negative spin.
Humans who'd have em ?
The world is full of humans getting each other back and rightly so.[/quote]
Read again esso
[quote name=Andanotherthing, ...Mcr...]Read again esso[/quote]
tease me, tease me tease me, till I loose control. Shabba ;-)
Hello gorgeous.
When it comes to banter at work, it's acceptable if both parties are comfortable with it.
Being over friendly with everyone from the start, isn't the right approach.
You have to treat people as individuals and act according to your observations about them as a person, how they like to behave in the work place and the vibes you pick up.
They have to genuinely like you first, before two way banter can take place, otherwise it's just insensitivity on one side and politeness or offence on the other.
You can usually get away with one flattering comment to indicate your affection or attraction to them as a person or sexual object (to be frank).
If you want to carry on communicating in an intimate way, you should be pretty sure they are up for it and not just impose it on them all the time.
You really are better just being professional with some people at work . Use your instincts and judgements well if you're gifted with such things.
If you're handsome or pretty, you can get away with being flirty generally,unless you're a complete slimeball with it. Men less attractive than you, would probably get more negative responses to imposed and repeated over familiarity.
Having said all that, I do say love a lot to women strangers when I'm being served in shops. It just rolls off the tongue in conversation.Never meant in a patronising way, but I imagine a tiny few would take offence. Most usually say thanks love or something similar in their exchanges to me though.
Perhaps his time might be better spent campaigning for better compensation for soldiers than effectively condoning workplace bullying and getting people off on technicalities who are a danger to the public.
I don't think this Nick Freeman really understands the average mans distain for him and his kind.
A lot of people in this country can dish it out but not take it, including those who moan about 'political correctness', they'll back Clarkson and anything he says because he's right wing, the moment Jonathan Ross says anything remotely contentious they're storming Broadcasting House.
Nice three paragraph advert at the bottom of the article for everybody's favourite celebrity lawyer. 4685 people were killed or seriously injured in 2008 in collisions where speed was a contributory factor.
hey nick i was snapped by a camera today on the princess parkway i reckon i was doing 48 in a 40... what are my chances of getting off?
"This is compensation culture gone stark raving bonkers."
Yes, and the 'getting celebrities off driving offences on technicalities and allowing them to potentially put lives at further risk' culture on which Mr Freeman makes a hefty living is pefectly reasonable.
Just like all solicitors the man makes up his morals as he goes along, and doesn't seem to appreciate irony.
One other thing:
"my client, top golfer Colin Montgomerie (above) was successful in his appeal against a speeding conviction... ...Because we were able to demonstrate the defective way in which the officer had been carrying out his checks"
What, so he was speeding but because a copper didn't tick the boxes it was thrown out of court? Brilliant.
You are a paragon of virtue, Freeman.
[quote name= Rorschach, Round the Corner]"This is compensation culture gone stark raving bonkers."
Yes, and the 'getting celebrities off driving offences on technicalities and allowing them to potentially put lives at further risk' culture on which Mr Freeman makes a hefty living is pefectly reasonable.
Just like all solicitors the man makes up his morals as he goes along, and doesn't seem to appreciate irony.
One other thing:
"my client, top golfer Colin Montgomerie (above) was successful in his appeal against a speeding conviction... ...Because we were able to demonstrate the defective way in which the officer had been carrying out his checks"
What, so he was speeding but because a copper didn't tick the boxes it was thrown out of court? Brilliant.
You are a paragon of virtue, Freeman.[/quote]
Yes. The Copper does have to tick the right boxes. That is the evidence.
This would be one of those judges then that overturn reasonable prosecutions on your behalf.
Perhaps this woman didnt see this as harmless banter, perhaps she continually complained. Every person as the right to work without sexist comments. The male dominated sexist charged work culture isnt for everyone.
Clearly the well qualified judge agreed and awarded the compensation.
Then to compare the payment to those injured in the war by someone who is very well educated shows that your argument is just clutching at straws and relying on emotional blackmail.
Hello Nick, Iam an 80 year old severely disabled pensioner who has been cheated out of his Pension Credit & Council Tax Benefit for the last 6 years and have been before 2 DWP Tribunals's, (which are nothing but kangaroo courts), I am also an old friend of Geoffrey Burton, But when I ring your office nobody there wants to help me, maybe you can, as you have also known me for over 30 years Best Regards Nick from old Arthur oddlegs@hotmail.com oddlegs from Bury
A lawyer who gets the rich and famous off on technicalities (yes your honour, my client was twice over the drink drive limit, but he wasn't read his rights when they got back to the station and that isn't fair) is complaining about compensation culture?
Whatever next........?
Hey Nick, where was your buy one and get one free when it came to Jimmy Carr and Dietmar Hamann!? ha ha ha!!
Where I work, the policy on sexual harassment is well-documented, except I can't find any application forms for it.