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Jobcenter worker sacked for activism

i can't really see how the worker was sacked for being political when he was campaigning to have a fraudster brought to justice
does his decision maker at the dole get sacked for pursuing fraudsters????

No, but the fraudsters in question aren't high ranking politicians with equally high ranking connections and a vindictive streak.
 
It's not classed as being politically active tho is it? Standing as an elected representative would be and would probably result in being sacked from certain jobs (or most likely a resignation). It depends what rules certain jobs have.

I must admit I'm slightly taken aback by U75's apparent inability to see the wider implications of highly political individuals in public sector jobs!

But hey, hypocrisy is just one reason no-one supports the left...

Actually it's the bosses complete and utter hypocrisy that is being challenged here. Not least by allowing a DWP worker to stand for the BNP without sanction, whilst sacking France for doing rather less.
 
Actually it's the bosses complete and utter hypocrisy that is being challenged here. Not least by allowing a DWP worker to stand for the BNP without sanction, whilst sacking France for doing rather less.
Are you arguing that public sector workers should be allowed to be active members of the BNP?
 
No, I am correcting your earlier error.

If as happened, and as Mark France almost definitely knew happened, then his boose had absolutely no right to sack him for a much lesser 'offence'. I'd argue his actions were okay whatever action was taken against the fascist, but in circmustances whre it was deemed ok for a BNP member to stand - and to have the photo on his leaflets of him standing outside his workplace! - then there is absolutely no consistent reason to sack France.
 
No, I am correcting your earlier error.

If as happened, and as Mark France almost definitely knew happened, then his boose had absolutely no right to sack him for a much lesser 'offence'. I'd argue his actions were okay whatever action was taken against the fascist, but in circmustances whre it was deemed ok for a BNP member to stand - and to have the photo on his leaflets of him standing outside his workplace! - then there is absolutely no consistent reason to sack France.
Well according to the terms of their contracts (assuming they were the same, can't see why not) then neither should have engaged in political activity.

Of course, sacking one and not the other is extremely hypocritical but if you take a job where you know you're not allowed to be politically active then either quit that job or don't take it! No different from taking a job where you get sacked if you take drugs, then proceed to go and take drugs!
 
I have to say that "making comments on a politics website" should never be even a contributory reason for dismissal. Perhaps you shouldn't be allowed to write a letter to the paper either, or talk to people in the pub about politics, or shout "cunt" at the telly in a manner that other people might hear.
 
What's an "active member" as opposed to a member?

or will I regret asking that question?
A member is just someone who's signed up and pays their membership fees (basically one up from a supporter). Whereas an active member is one who goes out campaigning etc

If I understand correctly, the former is ok, but the latter is a no no for certain (public) jobs
 
I have to say that "making comments on a politics website" should never be even a contributory reason for dismissal. Perhaps you shouldn't be allowed to write a letter to the paper either, or talk to people in the pub about politics, or shout "cunt" at the telly in a manner that other people might hear.
Yes but despite what people on here might think, these rules don't forbid people having an opinion, they forbid people from campaigning to get certain people/organisations into positions power as there is a chance that will affect their ability to do their job impartially if they use their positions to help obtain that position of power...
 
Sorry but if this person was a BNP activist most people would demand he was sacked. Likewise if someone was acting in the interests of a political party in their job (fucking over councillors or whatever) there'd also be outrage. Just because you agree with what this person did in this individual instance doesn't mean the principle that public sector workers should not be politically active is a bad policy. How would you feel if the police only locked up people of a certain political persuasion? Or the fire service refused to answer calls to middle class areas because they supported Labour or whatever?

I don't believe anyone including BNP activists should be sacked from their job. I believe there is a BNP candidate working in a job centre. His union (PCS) gave him loads of grief, but they could never prove that any of his beliefs have stopped in from doing his job properly etc.
 
Yes but despite what people on here might think, these rules don't forbid people having an opinion, they forbid people from campaigning to get certain people/organisations into positions power as there is a chance that will affect their ability to do their job impartially if they use their positions to help obtain that position of power...

It's got fuck all to do with being politically active. It's all about someone being persecuted because they are a political thorn in someone's side. It's persecution, pure and simple.
 
Of course, sacking one and not the other is extremely hypocritical but if you take a job where you know you're not allowed to be politically active then either quit that job or don't take it!

he says he didnt know

Yes but despite what people on here might think, these rules don't forbid people having an opinion, they forbid people from campaigning to get certain people/organisations into positions power as there is a chance that will affect their ability to do their job impartially if they use their positions to help obtain that position of power...

he didnt do that
 
I don't believe anyone including BNP activists should be sacked from their job. I believe there is a BNP candidate working in a job centre. His union (PCS) gave him loads of grief, but they could never prove that any of his beliefs have stopped in from doing his job properly etc.
Hey I don't know what the specific rules of contract are for the Job Centre, but according to the BBC article in the OP they aren't allowed to be politically active, if that is the case then the BNP candidate should certainly have had to resign in order to stand so I don't know why it's different for them and not for the guy who's the subject of this thread
 
A member is just someone who's signed up and pays their membership fees (basically one up from a supporter). Whereas an active member is one who goes out campaigning etc

If I understand correctly, the former is ok, but the latter is a no no for certain (public) jobs

It depends on what grade you are in the public sector. If you are a normal worker you can be politically active. You can even stand for political office. If you are a line manager, you are not allowed to be politically active.
 
Hey I don't know what the specific rules of contract are for the Job Centre, but according to the BBC article in the OP they aren't allowed to be politically active, if that is the case then the BNP candidate should certainly have had to resign in order to stand so I don't know why it's different for them and not for the guy who's the subject of this thread

It's all coming back to me. As I said on my other post, it's really about what grade they are....normal workers no problem...line managers and above and it's a no no.
 
It's got fuck all to do with being politically active. It's all about someone being persecuted because they are a political thorn in someone's side. It's persecution, pure and simple.
Well I'm not quite sure how some nobody MP from a party that's not even in power could wield such influence over a government department! If what you say above has any truth to it (which I'm not denying) then I would imagine it's something a little less sinister like the guy's boss dislikes him and is looking for excuses to sack him...

he says he didnt know
Well then fair enough he's got something to argue in his disciplinary hasn't he?

he didnt do that
Didn't do what?
 
It's all coming back to me. As I said on my other post, it's really about what grade they are....normal workers no problem...line managers and above and it's a no no.
Is that for local or central civil service? If he's not broken any rules then there's no need for any of us to carry on arguing with each other! I'm only going by the limited information I have from the BBC article...
 
Well I'm not quite sure how some nobody MP from a party that's not even in power could wield such influence over a government department! If what you say above has any truth to it (which I'm not denying) then I would imagine it's something a little less sinister like the guy's boss dislikes him and is looking for excuses to sack him...


Well then fair enough he's got something to argue in his disciplinary hasn't he?


Didn't do what?

It would be interesting to know how long he's been working as a job adviser.
 
It's not classed as being politically active tho is it? Standing as an elected representative would be and would probably result in being sacked from certain jobs (or most likely a resignation). It depends what rules certain jobs have. I must admit I'm slightly taken aback by U75's apparent inability to see the wider implications of highly political individuals in public sector jobs! But hey, hypocrisy is just one reason no-one supports the left...
But a job centre bureaucrat criticising a politician for fiddling their expenses isn't the same as, say, an NHS doctor criticising public health provision and campaigning for healt care to be privatised, is it? Although that wouldn't arguably be wrong, it would undermine their employer. A politician fiddling their expenses is indefensible, it's not a matter of a difference in political opinion or principles.

I think there would possibly be a case for finding a doctor's views problematic in the first instance, but that's different to someone joining in with expressions of public outrage about politicians fiddling expenses.
 
It would be interesting to know how long he's been working as a job adviser.

Mark France is no career civil servant. He's just ordinary jobcenter staff holding down a job and trying to do his best for his clients. He has held the job for 6 months He has a wife and kid and now he's on the dole and is worried about losing his home.

His political activism had absolutely no connection to his job whatsoever and no-one has claimed it had. He was fired purely for his involvement in the "Julie Must Go" campaign. I see no reason why his involvement in that campaign should have any bearing on his ability to do his job. I agree with the poster who said this whole thing stinks of political revenge for winning a victory over someone powerful and connected.
 
His political activism had absolutely no connection to his job whatsoever and no-one has claimed it had. He was fired purely for his involvement in the "Julie Must Go" campaign. I see no reason why his involvement in that campaign should have any bearing on his ability to do his job. I agree with the poster who said this whole thing stinks of political revenge for winning a victory over someone powerful and connected.
You think that MP has friends in high places in the Job Centre?!
 
Who's her mole then? Any ideas? I'll take a job title if you can't come up with a name, just to be fair like...

probably a district or regional manager, many of whom regularly hob knob with MPs at various civic events and its not at all unthinkable they may have a social connection
 
Who's her mole then? Any ideas? I'll take a job title if you can't come up with a name, just to be fair like...


You find the idea so unthinkable. Your naiveté is almost sweet.

The guy plays a leading role in the campaign against Julie Kirkbride. The campaign is a total success. A powerful and rich MP loses her job and is shamed in front of the public..... then, surprise, surprise, France is subsequently fired.

Is it really so outrageous to smell a rat? You should get out more.
 
You find the idea so unthinkable. Your naiveté is almost sweet.

The guy plays a leading role in the campaign against Julie Kirkbride. The campaign is a total success. A powerful and rich MP loses her job and is shamed in front of the public..... then, surprise, surprise, France is subsequently fired.

Is it really so outrageous to smell a rat? You should get out more.
And you should stop watching Hollywood films so much!

As much as I won't discount anything as a possibility, I find it unlikely that this is what could only be revenge. It wouldn't help that MP get her job back (she's certainly not in a position of power now and whether she was before she announced her resignation is debatable).

I find it far more likely (and none Hollywood-esque) that if there was any reason other than he broke his contract, that it would be because his manager didn't like him (or his standard of work/attitude) and wanted rid and this was a convenient opportunity to do so.

However, the most likely outcome is that he was sacked for breaking the terms of his contract, you know, a sackable offence for, well, all jobs...
 
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