Anti Discrimination Act And Harasment

[evil_weevil]

empty train cabin + big W mag + Brad......= hahahahaha

[Duncan]

well it is bullshit over the top political correctness.

but the law is the law and your employer would be mad not to enforce those rules.

and I dont agree with speeding laws either, but i have to follow them too.

[FATAZZ]

Do you work in the office with these girls or are you in the factory and these girls over hear you guys?

[blk180]

empty train cabin + big W mag + Brad......= hahahahaha

HAHAHA

[-FIGJAM-]

I am in the office with the girls, however the office is dominated by males. I dunno, i think perhaps the political correctness is a bit over the top now days. I cant blame the bosses if we are in the wrong under those acts, nor shall i. I just dont think its right.

Speeding can take a turn for the worst and kill someone, me calling a mate a fag isnt going to kill him. Unless its true and he kills himself....

Not able to read a catalogue? that seriously is f**ked!!

Edited May 8, 2008 by -FIGJAM-

[Abo Bob]

Maybe it's just that you guys do it too often. It actually annoys/offends me to constantly hear guys calling each other poofs, fags and so on. It was rampant on here for a while a couple of years ago. I don't mind it said occasionally and it can be funny in the right context but when it gets used in a slightly more derogatory/insultive way I don't like it and when it's overused it's annoying and not funny.

Also I think that it depends on the person hearing the thing you say as to how offensive it is. Eg, I have two gay uncles (cue jokes from the next 6 posters) so calling someone gay in a derogatory way bothers me. If those girls at your work had a mentally disabled brother you can be sure they wouldn't use the word retard.

Now, in relation to this, the laws try to cover everything. The law, and you for that matter, can't know what is offensive to everyone so they try to be broad. In my view, the hope is that the law will be used as a backup after ordinary reasonableness and reliance on polite deference have failed. By this mean that the law in this case is a blunt instrument.

If I was your manager I would take you boys aside and suggest politely that in the interests of workplace harmony I'd like you to cut most of that stuff out, particularly around the girls. I wouldn't, and I doubt your manager is, suggest that the odd expletive issued directly after a painful experience is in anyway an issue.

[TTT]

If a bloke can't call his workmates poofs/fags/pricks whatever...I don't know where this country is going.

Down right un-Australian.....these bureaucrats and policy makers should get their ass's off the tarmac and take a wander down the bush track to remind them just where the f*k they are! Your boss and office girls included.

If they want to be all gay and gentile...go to France or some other bastion of faggotry.

Send them down the local supermarket/pub/footy/cricket match they'll hear far worse and that'd be from the supporting mothers in the crowd.

I think you're right re: their hypocrisy....

As you say you're a 19 y.o working in a warehouse/factory environment?

I think they need to realise you're an Australian male, it's 2008, most of the language you describe has been widely socially acceptable in the company of adults for 20+yrs unless ofcourse you happen to be an 18th century French Duke.

Maybe try not using anyones name for a week or so....just refer to them all as Oi!! because you fear you may offend them if you get to personal.

That's twice you've put the French down.

I have friends who are from France and I find it offensive that you speak about the french this way.

I feel harrassed and discriminated against for being friends to people from France, because of what you keep speaking about them.

I will be taking this up with the mods to ensure that you get an official warning as per forums rules.

Edited May 9, 2008 by GTST

[Abo Bob]

Actually my gf is from France. That's it madbung, you're done for!

[madbung]

That's twice you've put the French down.

I have friends who are from France

Attol bombing ruffle shirt wearing poor bastards!! I'm sorry they do those things I really am

Edited May 9, 2008 by madbung

[madbung]

Actually my gf is from France. That's it madbung, you're done for!

Hey French chicks are super hot.....it's just those poncy Dukes I have an issue with

Mate I've had so many warnings I'm thinking of changing my name to Will Robinson

[Birnie]

I work in BigW and there's catalogues everywhere !

We're stuffed

At my old work place, everyone had to do the HR Harrasment 'course'

And i do remember that if you touch a girls botty, and she likes it (ie doesn't take offence) that's fine

BUT, if someone sees you do it, and they take offence, bah bow ! Harrasment.

...but if you're gunna get busted for something as stupid as that, you may as well whip it out and do the 'copter !!!!

[Birnie]

and that makes me a saaaaaaaadddd paaaaaanda

[FATAZZ]

IMO if your working in the office with these girls yeh you should ease up on the swearing.

In a factory it would be abit more leniant to the swearing but still wouldnt be calling people ghey or poofs.

side note. 1 factory i worked at a while ago...on the 1st day the 2ic asked me if there was any names i would be offended by to make sure i wasn't offended by anyone,but no 1 really used swearing or derogatory words that much.

I though that was a really smart way to ensure no one would be offended or get the head smashed.

Maybe have a little meeting at your workplace and go through some things people might be offended by so everyones

on the same page.

[Duncan]

wtf are you really sugesting that speeding is more dangerous than harassment/depression/suicide. I don't have any stats on hand but I am willing to bet more people kill themselves than die on the roads

the whole point of harassment rules is that the person you are talking to, or even a bystander, may take offence to these things, and may well feel they can't address the problem.

[scathing]

Welcome to the world we've created.

The thing about sexual harrassment is that, as others have said, its really hard to disprove and the penalties are really high. As employers, they need to err on the side of caution before some loser with sand in their vaginas calls the cops.

When I worked for an ISP and went through the "sexual harrassment training", they said that aside from having no swimsuit model posters etc on the wall (fair enough, I could see how some girls might find it derogatory), if your partner worked with you then she couldn't sit in your lap. Just in case someone takes offense, or some shit.

That, I thought, was just retarded....but them's the rules.

[madbung]

You could try calling each other Mary, Nancy and/or Susan...same insult less offensive?

Failing that go the Nigel/Nathan route. Appologies to all the Nigels/Nathan out there (you're manly men.. we know)

Its not fun when all the laughs get sucked out off your working day!

Killjoys!

[miiz_skyline]

If you work in an office... do you have clients / customers coming in and out? If so, its not very professional. The girls are probably more annoyed and over hearing you guys call each other these names all the time. Why can't you call each other by name if it has caused such a problem? You have a pretty easy-going boss if he puts up with it... i know mine wouldn't!

[TTT]

it's 8 hours of your day to obide by their rules.

grow up and get over it.

[R33Turbo]

i think everyone swears not just you mate but i reckon ppl try not to act like themselves at work cuz its an business environment. So why don't you try adapt to it or leave the work?

I'd click it if some fag next to me kept swearing out "f**k!" everytime something went wrong, i mean who do they think they are?

[-FIGJAM-]

Yea i understand both sides of the coin believe me. Now we dont have clients coming in all the time, and when we do we are on our best behavior. I know it prolly sounds like we are acting like a bunch of zoo animals but it isnt as bad as what it prolly sounds. Yea we may have a joke with each other now an then and call each other gay or whatever, or say a mum joke, whatever its all in good spirits, but then if it goes too far... it just sucks that this is what the world has come to.