This is an interesting discussion. The
PR issue is important because it creates perceived moral high ground.
You can be sure that management has some pretty serious contingency plans up its sleeve. In COS 1994 there was a "fire the lot" plan drawn up. I would expect it to have been dusted off. It could only be used with government approval. And that would be a political decision - ie would the government have public support?
The good news is that CX's
PR abilities seem much more feeble these days (thanks, I believe, to a certain zoology graduate on the management who ran
PR in the mid 90s!). It's question of capitalising on that.