As you know, Nanny has implemented many laws to ensure that people cannot be discriminated against and held back in their jobs as a result of race, religion, ability or sex.These laws all work to ensure that, where the playing field is perceived by some to be uneven, it is "flattened" out.
However, even Nanny cannot think of everything; which is what Sgt Leslie Turner (the first black personal protection officer to guard the royal family) found to his cost.
You see it seems that Sgt Turner realised that he had in fact been "positively discriminated against", and "overpromoted" to the position of body guard to the Duchess of Cornwall.
Needless to say, on realising this, he sued Scotland Yard and has allegedly won around £40K in compensation for racial discrimination in an out of court settlement.
His representatives argued he had been awarded the prestigious job as Camilla's bodyguard only because he was black.
It was claimed that as a result of being over-promoted, and not receiving proper training and support, Sgt Turner made mistakes which led to him being re-assigned.
A cynic might argue that everyone makes mistakes when placed in a new job or company. Mistakes are part of the learning process.
Colleagues of Sgt Turner, said that he is a "model professional" who had a good relationship with Prince Charles and Camilla.
He began guarding Charles in August 2004, and was re-assigned to Camilla in February last year when the royal couple were engaged.
But in June 2005, it emerged he had suddenly been replaced.
Royal insiders stress that the decision to move him was not taken directly by Clarence House. However, they concede that the race row is extremely embarrassing for Charles and Camilla.
Had Sgt Turner's case reached a tribunal, potentially embarrassing secrets about Charles and Camilla's lives may have been aired.
A cynic might suggest that this is the real reason that Scotland Yard settled out of court.
Now...I am a 43 year old white, atheist, male, heterosexual, able bodied, homeowner; can anyone tell me who I may make a discrimination claim against?
>I am a 43 year old white, atheist, male, heterosexual, able bodied, homeowner
ReplyDeleteYou can claim against just about any of nanny's minions I would have thought - but not for overpromotion! Although for maximum points you'd have to be older and a smoker who hunts.
Hmm, Ken, in your description change 43 to 52, and you are describing myself!! Anyone got any ideas? I'll join in with Ken in a class action, that is, if he doesn't mind.
ReplyDeleteNanny does tend to turn a blind eye when it suits. I watched aghast when David Cameron, the day after he got elected leader of the opposition, toured a school for "black" children!? Lord knows what Nanny would say if it were a school for "white" children.
But to answer Ken's question, do you know that a disabled person doesn't get taxed if his/her employer reimburses him/her for travelling to and from work, whereas non-disabled people are taxed. Now, is that not discrimination??
Just one example of positive discrimination, there are many others.
A class action...what a good idea!
ReplyDeleteWell you're being discriminated by not being discriminated. Isn’t that grounds for a class action?
ReplyDeleteI have to confess I have not read the 'details' of the case but quite why someone should feel they have been discriminated against because they got a job and then 'lost' it again I can't imagine.
ReplyDeleteIt's not exactly uncommon is it? Happens all the time in business and is part of the character forming process.
What's the betting this chap will now be quietly promoted out of harms way?
As for what you could claim as discrimination - just about everything really, though I think charges of theft and misappropriation of your funds, levelled against Nanny and partners, would be a more obvious case.
Being of a similar age to spiv I am at that point when pension funds need to be performing rather well for a few years to defend my modest inputs. But it seems unlikely after the Chancer's raids and today I see in the press that the annuity returns are also likely to fail to deliver in coming years. Great. I have been defrauded. Now there is a case for a class action if for no other reason than I seem to be one of the minority who have not yet been able to use and official 'reparation scheme' to fund my life at the cost of others. Even my Endowment policy just fails to qualify for any form of compensation claim. I suspect it might have done much better if it had not had to fund compensation to others along the way.
Grant
Grant
ReplyDeleteRe your endowment policy, may I suggest that you visit http://www.endowmentdiary.com and sign the petition on that site.
These useless endowment policies, that we were sold, are defintiley worth a class action!
Ken
Re: what compensation can you claim for
ReplyDeleteWhen the EU Constitution comes in it will granted you the right to work in your chosen profession. Choose to be a leader of the EU Commission then complain that you have been improperly excluded and your solidarity has been harmed. Should be good for half a mill - if we all do it then we can all be rich.
Ken,
ReplyDeleteRe. Endowment policy.
The last revue a coupld fo months ago suggested it would mature with a small surplus in a couple of year's time providing there are no catastrophic event in the meantime.
Bad new really, though there are those who are in a worse position than I. Pals who were a a year or two ahead in the sweepstake (as we would have been but ofr cashing in when moving house) have don reasonable well. Anyone a few years later has probably had a fair opportunity of reasonable compensation - I have heard of a few who where marginally deserving, given that they were Estate Agents ... - but we poor sods on the margins will get nowt but must surely have had some loss of bonus as money is raked off to fund compensation to others.
If my endowment provider had not been taken over or whatever, resulting in a mid-term bonus value of some sort, I think we would have scraped in by about a fiver - not quite the number that was indicated at the time of sale.
But that's life. Who wants to retire anyway? What would I do with all that spare time other than read your blog? :)