Yes the latest hidden danger in our nation is now Welsh. On top of mis labeled cakes, kids playing hop-skotch, or what ever some health & safety official decides is the latest menace.
Found this gem in The Times:http://timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1760064.ece
It has long served as a polite, and apparently safe, greeting between Welsh speakers.
But now health and safety concerns have stopped council telephone operators from greeting callers in Welsh. The language of heaven, it is argued, could damage their vocal cords. (one could ask how native Welsh speakers have managed to speak their native language without damaging their vocal cords?)
Union officials want to spare employees from greeting callers with “bore da” (good morning) and “prynhawn da” (good afternoon). The staff, they say, usually speak only in English and the extra greeting could damage their voice. (Oh for fucks sake, a few extra words in another language. Have you bean counting union officals got anything better to campaign about? What about employee conditions, contracts, pay, the dangers of outsourcing jobs etc, just a few ideas there guys and gals)
Under the Welsh Language Act, government bodies are obliged to offer services in the language, and most councils and large companies answer calls in English and Welsh. But now Vale of Glamorgan council has barred the greeting. It says that its move complies with the Health and Safety Executive’s advice that call centre workers limit the amount of time that they spend on the telephone. (Now why do I feel this is more about call time limits and not health & safety)
But Welsh language speakers in the affluent and Anglicised area west of Cardiff are baffled. Steffan Williams, a Welsh-speaking Plaid Cymru councillor, condemned the ban as an infringement of human rights. He said: “I can’t see how saying ‘bore da’ will do people in a call centre any harm.” (Indeed, maybe they will be suggesting taking the Welsh signs down next in case drivers damage their vocal cords attempting to say the Welsh placenames)
A spokesman for the Vale of Glamorgan council confirmed that staff have stopped answering in Welsh after their union had raised health and safety concerns. (If anyone wants a real challenge to the vocal cords, try this for size: Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch)
Link:http://llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.co.uk/
Tags: Welsh
Wales
Health & Safety
Plaid Cymru
Found this gem in The Times:http://timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1760064.ece
It has long served as a polite, and apparently safe, greeting between Welsh speakers.
But now health and safety concerns have stopped council telephone operators from greeting callers in Welsh. The language of heaven, it is argued, could damage their vocal cords. (one could ask how native Welsh speakers have managed to speak their native language without damaging their vocal cords?)
Union officials want to spare employees from greeting callers with “bore da” (good morning) and “prynhawn da” (good afternoon). The staff, they say, usually speak only in English and the extra greeting could damage their voice. (Oh for fucks sake, a few extra words in another language. Have you bean counting union officals got anything better to campaign about? What about employee conditions, contracts, pay, the dangers of outsourcing jobs etc, just a few ideas there guys and gals)
Under the Welsh Language Act, government bodies are obliged to offer services in the language, and most councils and large companies answer calls in English and Welsh. But now Vale of Glamorgan council has barred the greeting. It says that its move complies with the Health and Safety Executive’s advice that call centre workers limit the amount of time that they spend on the telephone. (Now why do I feel this is more about call time limits and not health & safety)
But Welsh language speakers in the affluent and Anglicised area west of Cardiff are baffled. Steffan Williams, a Welsh-speaking Plaid Cymru councillor, condemned the ban as an infringement of human rights. He said: “I can’t see how saying ‘bore da’ will do people in a call centre any harm.” (Indeed, maybe they will be suggesting taking the Welsh signs down next in case drivers damage their vocal cords attempting to say the Welsh placenames)
A spokesman for the Vale of Glamorgan council confirmed that staff have stopped answering in Welsh after their union had raised health and safety concerns. (If anyone wants a real challenge to the vocal cords, try this for size: Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch)
Link:http://llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.co.uk/
Tags: Welsh
Wales
Health & Safety
Plaid Cymru
.
2 people have spoken:
I did actually get in contact with the people behind the story. After talking with them. I came to the conclusion that it was all made up !
http://fforddgoch.blogspot.com/2007/05/im-not-going-to-do-you-dirty-workany.html
Just as well. Mind it is one of them silly stories that pop up from time to time.
Post a Comment