ATV Bog: Supermarkets Must Respect Freedom of Speech
Over the past two weeks Supermarkets Tesco and Waitrose both faced embarrassment as tabloids printed unflattering comments made by employees of both firms about customers. Predictably both companies responded with grovelling responses and promises of disciplinary action but ATV Bog argues that Supermarkets should respect, or be made to, Freedom of Expression.
Let’s get one thing clear before we go any further, freedom of expression is guaranteed under UK and European Law. We, as citizens of the UK & EU, have the right to express our opinions, in any medium we desire, on everything and anything. So why then do Supermarkets think they have the right to dictate to their staff what they can and cannot say in the public domain? Why do Supermarkets, and other companies, feel they can gag their staff when freedom of speech is guaranteed under our law? Surely UK law outweighs any contract or codes of conduct these companies have?
We are referring of course to press reports concerning employees of Tesco and Waitrose who made unflattering, but probably truthful, remarks about their customers in the social network site, Facebook. Various groups exist on Facebook for both firms and the comments were made on several groups on Facebook which The Daily Mirror and The Daily Mail delighted in printing in their news reports. One Waitrose employee referred to “dirty, scanky pikeys” who “wait for reductions”. Well what’s wrong with that? What’s wrong with speaking the truth?
What’s wrong with airing a frustration? What’s wrong with airing an opinion? Employees of both Supermarkets, on their respected Facebook groups, posted various threads regarding customers which were probably full of insults and stories of awful customers. What’s wrong with that? After all far worse is probably said behind-the-scenes at Supermarkets than is written on Facebook.
ATV have spoken to several Supermarket workers over the past few days all of whom supported the posters on Facebook and told stories of how appallingly they are treated by customers and how they need a place where they can air their frustrations with people who have experienced the same. Both Waitrose and Tesco issued statements sayi8ng they would investigate the comments and that disciplinary action may be taken against those who made the comments. A disappointing stance by Waitrose who are so proud of their democratic bodies within the partnership that allow partners to have a say in how the Supermarket is run. Surely the Partnership should be embracing the latest form of democracy and openness and encouraging partners to air their problems and suggestions on Facebook?
Instead the Partnership seems content on curbing freedom of expression, ignoring its younger partners and punishing those who have dared to speak out against the almighty customers. High-up bosses who sit in Ivory Towers and who have little customer interacting seem to feel they can dictate to those hard working, shop-floor individuals what they can and cannot say. These managers do not have to deal with the daily abuse these workers suffer at the hands of customers who feel they have the right to treat staff as dirt.
Customers routinely verbally abuse staff, shout at them, lie about them, patronise them and in some cases are even violent towards them – chucking things at them or even grabbing them on occasions. ATV Bog knows this happens because we have seen it and experience it, there’s no denying it. What happens to these customers, nothing. So why shouldn’t staff who experience this be allow to air their frustrations without fear of being disciplined for ranting after being treated so badly? What are the Supermarkets afraid off? It’s highly unlikely that any customer would read these comments, unless printed by the press, and often they are merely read by fellow workers who sympathise and write about their own experiences.
Shame on Tesco and Shame on Waitrose for trying to silence their staff over these matters and trying to curb on freedom of expression, staff MUST be allowed to have a place where they can engage with each other, share experiences and insult customers without fear of consequences and that place must be the internet. After all companies do not own their staff and what they do outside of work hours is nothing to do with them, even if it is insulting customers. Are we prepared to sacrifice our democratic rights just because companies don’t like what they are reading?
