Company bans England World Cup wallcharts

Northern Ireland’s largest manufacturer has banned England wallcharts during the World Cup.

Senior management at aircraft company Shorts told workers the St George Cross would be in breach of the company’s neutral working environment policy.

Some of the 5,300 employees at the Bombardier Aerospace-owned firm complained bitterly today at the strict code and urged a rethink.

In the meantime, the company said it is distributing wallcharts without England flags or the colours of any of the other 31 competing nations.

East Belfast DUP MP Peter Robinson branded the move ludicrous and backed calls for a management review of the ban.

“It’s political correctness gone over the top,” he said. “There’s nothing sectarian or political, in any political sense, in people supporting one of the United Kingdom countries in the World Cup.

“Shorts is making an issue where there is none. They need to lighten up,” he said.

The no-emblems policy was introduced to eradicate sectarianism and political rivalry in the predominantly Protestant workplace.

“I don’t believe that supporting the England football team during the World Cup falls into that category. It’s ludicrous,” Mr Robinson said.

“Along with my party colleagues, I was speaking to some people from the Republic of Ireland last night and they were very enthusiastic about England’s chances in the World Cup,” he added.

But Sinn Féin West Tyrone MLA Barry McIlduff insisted that the neutrality of the workplace was of prime importance.

“There needs to a consistent approach,” he said.

“Anything that bears a Union flag makes Catholics and nationalists feel uncomfortable. I get calls all the time from people who feel uncomfortable having to walk under the Union flag in their workplace or in a public building. This is eight years after the Good Friday Agreement.

“Nationalist sensitivities need to be listened to in the symbols and emblems debate. If it makes any worker feel uncomfortable then management has a duty to listen to that worker.”

He added: “Personally speaking, I think Irish people are sick of having England in the World Cup pushed into their faces.

“What we need is (Wayne) Rooney-free zones. That’s what the people are looking for. It’s sickening to listen to commentators going on about it ad nauseam.”

A company spokeswoman said management couldn’t cherry-pick when a policy does and does not apply.

“The company has a policy of operating a neutral working environment. This includes no flags, symbols or sports apparel to be worn or displayed on company premises,” she said.

“In light of this, the company has produced a World Cup chart for distribution in all areas, which carries no symbols or flags.

“These charts are currently being distributed throughout the company for employees who wish to have them in their working area.”

The company introduced a clampdown on the display of flags and emblems in 1988 when it agreed a Joint Declaration of Protection with the trade unions recognising the right of all employees to work in an environment free of intimidation.

The move was designed to make the mainly Protestant workplace more attractive to Catholics.

In 1996 a specific ban was introduced on any item in the workplace that identified a specific sport or sporting organisation.

Late last year, a new declaration was signed by the company and the trade unions.

The aircraft manufacturer has plants at Queen’s Island in east Belfast, Newtownabbey, Newtownards and Dunmurry.