Management have decided that all Station Supervisors have to attend a 'inclusion, equality and diversity' course. Many people will think teaching people how to be 'politically correct' is a waste of time, some will think that the Underground is a very diverse workplace anyway and that we know all we need to know about inclusion.
We'll see whether management's take on these issues turns out to be a waste of time. But we should bear in mind that there are still important struggles which women, black and ethnic minority and LGBT workers face in our workplace and in this society which is far from equal.
Our unions try to fight these struggles. However much of a waste of time you think 'political correctness' or management's latest initiative is, that should not be used to ridicule 'feminism', rights for our members and and the fight for equality that union members are a part of.
Comments
PC turning Working class away
Political Correctness is essentially a middle class American phenomenum that supplants the struggle for the rights of the working class with childish semantic games that seek to give its user a feeling of false accomplishment and allows him to wallow in a begnin feeling of self-rightiousness. It is also safe and cheap and an ideal pursuit for middle class 'would be' socialists who uttelry fail to understand the nitty gritty problems that ordinary people face in their everyday lives. It has also alienated many working people from socialism as it has (rightly or otherwise) become synonimous with the Left in their minds. If the Left wishes to ever have any hope of re-engaginf with any signifiicant proportion of the working class again, it must ditch PC, encourage frank and open dialogue over the problems that they face. Until this is accomplished, the far right wil continue to rise across Europe as it is doing among many areas of the working class in Italy, Austria, France and possibly Britain, especially if the current economic crisis continues.
Political correctness
PC = liberal/ radical-feminist idea that changing language will change reality. Yes, it's good in a way that overtly racist/ sexist etc words have been driven out of public language, or is that simply driven underground in practice? But, as well as the reliance on the State and the bourgeois media which this involves, "political correctness" does nothing to really fight racism & sexism & other prejudices. It has become ridiculous in its application. And it has given the right-wing a club to beat the left with - and anyone with ounce of humanity. A vaguely "good idea" in practice is not at that good, is it?
Alan-T.