Workplace sexism: TUC appoints a woman as General Secretary

[Lateralthinking1]

Socialism, liberalism, conservatism, these concepts or constructs (horrible word) "move on". Masrxism was weak on environmentalism, even though it understood wealth inhered in transmogrified raw materials. I'm with you on sentiments. Lenin isn't someone I would particularly have liked, but on culture he said one thing I agree with. Machine-made music, constructivism in the visual arts, Eisenstein etc: the early revolutionary period was one of artistic ferment in Russia. Groups were formed which said all bourgeois forms of art (opera, symphony halls etc) should be smashed, and new art forms emerge from the working class and peasantry. Others on the other hand said art shoud be revolutionary and experimental, reflective of expanding new tchnology replacing hand labour and the withering away of outdated thinking and consciousness. Stalin's seizure of power eventually meant return to nationalism and the national art when Russia had been at it pre-Soviet zenith, the time of Pushkin and Tchaikovsky, because Stalin had no culture other than his peasant past. That was how he read Lenin's view that the new art should take off from the highest point reached by bourgeois art. Read (red) across - bourgeois art = the civilised values of politeness and consideration born of privilege and servants that all should have access to/be free through greater leisure time to cultivate. Dreams manifest the power of imagination, multiplied by a factor of people operating to common objectives, as management "theorists" have (of course) come to realise - time out needed for its realisation.

Huge topic. Too huge for a Saturday night.

Yes to access for all who wish to have access. No money barriers.

I do not have a problem with some historical art having close associations with state identity if much does not.

The exceedingly close link between art and money now is of course a problem for widespread individual creativity. I think it is also a problem for any nation that would like to feel that elements of current art can be a part of its identity and also wants them to signify parts of the national identity that are not overtly about commerce.

[ahinton]

We're surely well way from the topic again, interesting as some of the posts have been.

Come on, folks; does the actual thread topic itself have any more places to go?...

[scottycelt]

We're surely well way from the topic again, interesting as some of the posts have been.

Come on, folks; does the actual thread topic itself have any more places to go?...

Well, on balance, I think the thread was much more interesting when it was really, really 'boring', ahinton ...

Where the heck has Member Amateur51 mysteriously skulked away to when we desperately need him to get us all back on topic, so we can then all agree (or not) that the BBC is horrible and 'sexist' while the TUC is nice and 'feminist'.... ?

[handsomefortune]

Where the heck has Member Amateur51 mysteriously skulked away to when we desperately need him to get us all back on topic, so we can then all agree (or not) that the BBC is horrible and 'sexist' while the TUC is nice and 'feminist'.... ?

not at all. for specific challenges that lie ahead for frances o'grady's election as general secretary, take a quick google. the very first page provides an instant snapshot of union members' thoughts on the general council and recent leadership generally. it seems that it is widely believed that those at the top of the tuc, o'grady's immediate predecessors, have been reluctant to do much. not without immense pressure from union members in the face of immanent disaster. nevertheless, individual non members can achieve nothing whatsoever on their own.

apparently, all sorts of public sector workers were represented in last year's tuc march down tottenham court rd, including beeb engineers. evidently, some women at the top of our psb are just as self serving and introverted as their male colleagues. (as illustrated in a recent forum link to catherine bennett, writing about the views of a female beeb 'top bod' in 'the guardian') is bennett 'sexist' to criticise another woman? not imo, if anything, legitimate criticism is healthy. it's usually only marketing, and sexists who gather all together as one amoebic, identical mass, to make generalisations about.

typically, it is skilled 'front line' workers that are being axed first within our institutions, rather than those who say 'yes' to their bosses, yet posses no genuinely identifiable skill.....(other than speech, and 'smile & nod' expertise). when you think of this scenario in terms of eg the medical profession, this is serious. it arguably places a psb in a new context. theoretically, surely the tuc, and psb should work together, (beyond a soundbite) to thoroughly discuss current problems? ideally, not leave everything to the woman presenter on r4's 'all in the mind' to 'deal with direct casualties'.

let's hope that a cohesive media strategy is a part of o'grady's long term plan. perhaps beeb presenters, such as martha kearney etc are also keen to heroically share the burden of a collective responsibility? in a way that o'grady's male predecessors, and dg mark thompson have utterly failed to achieve. that is, despite taking home record salaries/pensions. how might dg entwistle respond to the obvious faults with the previous 'arrangement' between the two orgs.....? will he continue to allow brevity and unaccountability to dominate, as dg? if this is not what the bbc trust requires of a dg, might o'grady order that the tuc general council earn their keep, perhaps absail into beeb trust meetings! arguably, what does 'aspiration' mean to public funded hierarchies, if it's not an approach which brings about decisive progress for all those who pay their wages...(not to mention their own off springs' future well being)?

examples of frances o'grady staying in nearby luxury hotels, popular with lazy tuc top bods...apparently unable to walk any distance to their hq, and gravy train, won't help matters. extortionate amounts for bed and breakfast will send out the wrong signal, as the cuts and job losses bite. as posted, the cost of tuc house, situated on the tottenham court rd, surely must be eating up money that might have been invested in legal professionals researching ways of preventing redundancies, pay cuts, and lobbying govt?

the worst scenario is that frances o'grady is looking for a new membership, within temp, and low paid workers, because her predecessors carelessly hemorrhaged so many existing members? for o'grady to succeed where the men on the tuc general council failed miserably, means that o'grady will have to be way more proactive. including finding solutions to avoid redundancies and cuts initially? which makes me wonder whether she's been handed the role since what lies ahead is virtually impossible for anyone but superwoman. (sadly she only exists in US tv fantasy world .... ) so, may be 'carthorse world' still aptly sums up the tuc's infamous regressive default?

http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/keyword/TUC,all,50

another key question seems to be, is o'grady genuinely bothered about the bullying of a growing number of disabled, mentally ill, unemployed, low paid and temp workers? these sections are quite likely to have ex public sector employees increasingly joining their midst? is there anything o'grady can do, that the men before her didn't bother curbing, or even monitoring? for instance, offsetting tabloid victimisation, on a rotational basis, in order for tabloids to 'divide and rule'? editors repeatedly target vulnerable sections as 'scroungers', aiming to pitch them against each other. . which is why a history of govt/media/union tactics (as discussed upthread) is specifically useful. http://benefitscroungingscum.blogspo...to-attend.html

how will o'grady respond to criticisms of the tuc holding a conference, in jan 2012, allegedly for disabled people, where the tuc lecture was allegedly delivered by the very man who devised unpopular govt strategies (such as atos) initially? given that the new statutory procedures linking to financial support, are apparently causing increasing numbers of people to commit suicide. will o'grady be ok to just sherk all responsibility? or will she deny these responsibilities, and instead merely look to gain new members? (hopefully) she'll continue a strategy of raising awareness in the media and amongst the general council, allowing proper future debate, and a coherent plan of protest. to return to my original point, is there something that all union members might contribute to? (including financial contribution, as well as empathetic union rhetoric): a hardship fund, is a simple idea. but it might just save some from taking drastic, irreversible action in utter despair and isolation?

last, but not least, is there any hope that as general secretary, o'grady and her general council, will corner the coalition on all urgent issues? bearing in mind that her predecessors have been recently criticised for being 'slow to act on behalf of those they supposedly represent'?

[handsomefortune]

incidentally, since the economic forecast looks so complex, in fact chaotic, i'm not entirely surprised that a sense of order and distance is considered preferable: in the form of discussion about 'high tea', apparently popular a couple of generations ago with mr & mrs mangerton senior!

i have no idea whether mrs mangerton senior was actually sexist, or just pekish!

or perhaps critical of the blanket assumption that men might make tea, since she'd presumably be well aware that they had all got together to play bowls. realistically, had one of the chaps broken rank, offered to help with tea instead, i suspect the air might've been thick with 'isms' and insults, and a pie fight might have ensued, the bowling match lost sight of completely, and people left hungry.

the main point seems to be that some of both genders actually enjoy serving others....and are proud of this personal attribute.

blanket assumptions, a rigidity about allotted roles, are rarely that helpful. (a bit like dividing an iced bun with a sledge hammer)? imv what we can deduce is that of late, people of both genders have thoroughly enjoyed being served, and fewer and fewer wish to serve. to the point that it's a social and financial addiction of epidemic, cannibalistic proportions. this development is neither feminist, or non feminist, it's just what has happened in the global financial melt down.

i suspect bob diamond wouldn't offer to make a high tea for others. not unless he was allowed to rig it according to a home made secret specification, he'd prepared prior. besides, who'd want a bite out of his 'aspiration waffle & toxic syrup' ....however sweet, and beautifully presented?

[amateur51]

i have no idea whether mrs mangerton senior was actually sexist, or just pekish!

Are you suggesting that the dear lady had a flat face, bulging eyes and a tendency towards heavy-breathing, handsome?

[Serial_Apologist]

Are you suggesting that the dear lady had a flat face, bulging eyes and a tendency towards heavy-breathing, handsome?

Nah - from Pekam

[handsomefortune]

pekish ..... mrs mangerton was just 'hungry'........ how does everyone else spell it...maybe with a 'c'? but it didn't look right on my screen.

a flat face, bulging eyes and a tendency towards heavy-breathing certainly not amateur51, i'm sure the mangertons are a handsome bunch, of astonishingly good breeding, if their high teas are anything to go by. you must be thinking of someone else!

from Pekam but mangerton, ahinton and scotty celt have gone to great lengths to explain the finer points of their scottish origins serial apologist!

so i'm afraid you're both totally wrong (as well as me)

[amateur51]

pekish ..... mrs mangerton was just 'hungry'........ how does everyone else spell it...maybe with a 'c'? but it didn't look right on my screen. Peckish

a flat face, bulging eyes and a tendency towards heavy-breathing certainly not amateur51, i'm sure the mangertons are a handsome bunch, of astonishingly good breeding, if their high teas are anything to go by. you must be thinking of someone else!

from Pekam but mangerton, ahinton and scotty celt have gone to great lengths to explain the finer points of their scottish origins serial apologist! Scotty's lived in the 'burbs of Cheshire/Manchester for far longer than he's ever lived in Scotland

so i'm afraid you're both totally wrong (as well as me)

[mangerton]

Are you suggesting that the dear lady had a flat face, bulging eyes and a tendency towards heavy-breathing, handsome?

Mrs mangerton senior looks nothing like that. She celebrated her 90th birthday in January, and looks remarkably well for someone of that age.

And she's never been to Pekam - or Peckham - either.

[mangerton]

[QUOTE=handsomefortune;185089[I]a flat face, bulging eyes and a tendency towards heavy-breathing[/I] certainly not amateur51, i'm sure the mangertons are a handsome bunch, of astonishingly good breeding, if their high teas are anything to go by. you must be thinking of someone else!

QUOTE]


Oh we are, we are - especially the distaff side.

[amateur51]

Mrs mangerton senior looks nothing like that. She celebrated her 90th birthday in January, and looks remarkably well for someone of that age.

And she's never been to Pekam - or Peckham - either.

There! I knew it!

All power to her elbow, whatever she does with it

[handsomefortune]

to mrs mangerton!

[handsomefortune]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Distaff_%28PSF%29.png/250px-Distaff_%28PSF%29.png

[scottycelt]

Amsey, that must be the most meaningfully concise post of yours since .. .. or ... ... or ... ... and, of course, the omnipresent and ever-grateful ... 'Thanks for that '

And stop putting words in handsome's posts ... he does a pretty good job of that himself. Btw, I've lived in the ''burbs' of Cheshire/Manchester for a little bit longer than my early educative years in Scotland, when I was eagerly preparing for that missionary crusade south of the border.

Okay, we all have to accept some setbacks and failures in life ...