Which sounds a little like this little HR gem from Aer Lingus........
The following is circa 2004 and was reported in the UK's Financial Times-
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Leaked HR document gives new Aer Lingus boss much to ponder
A controversy over a leaked Aer Lingus HR strategy document has brought into sharp focus the often difficult and sometimes bitter industrial relations environment that has prevailed in the state-owned airline over the past decade.
References in the document, which was drawn up within the Aer Lingus HR department in 2004, are made to what are termed environmental 'push factors' , like the 'tap on shoulder' . There is also a suggestion that a change of uniform for flight attendants could act as a pressure point in the context of the company’s current business plan.
The document was drawn up as part of the radical business plan first put forward by former chief executive, Willie Walsh, in 2004. That business plan is still seen as crucial in securing reduced staff numbers as well as change and productivity improvements as the airline prepares to face up to partial privatisation.
Aer Lingus executive chairman, John Sharman, said the company appreciated that the language used was seen 'as impersonal and clinical' . He expressed 'regret for any offence taken or implied' , but insisted that the push factors were never acted on, a view rejected by the trade unions.
Over the past decade, independent industrial relations observers have seen fit to comment on the industrial relations and HR environment in the company. Even the Taoiseach (Prime Minister), Bertie Ahern, told the Dail (Irish Parliament) last year that the level of trust between management and unions in the airline was 'non existent' . Critical comments have also been made by state dispute resolution agencies such as the Labour Relations Commission, the Labour Court and the National Implementation Body.
The controversial HR document was leaked to Ireland’s highest circulation daily, the Irish Independent, which carried it as an exclusive front page lead story in July 2005. The row over the document was then given extensive coverage by other media, with the executive chairman, John Sharman, answering questions about it from elected political representatives at a parliamentary committee hearing.
The controversy would not have been as great without the benefit of an 'informed source' , who provided the Irish Independent with crucial elaboration on some of the 'environmental push factors' that caused the furore. According to the Independent, suggestions were made in the document that cabin crew - including 'older air hostesses' - would have to abandon their current uniform for 'jumpsuits and t-shirts' .
The same source revealed that there were suggestions that the airline might bring in a tedious training programme for some pilots -like 'Guantanemo bay' the source was quoted as saying.
The Independent also reported that in relation to a push factor headed 'adverse changes in work/shift patterns' , management could hint that shift patterns could be altered to make life at the company uncomfortable. This particular caused considerable annoyance, in view of the fact that some sections, like cabin crew and ground staff, are mostly female and have strong demands for flexible options.
The company denied that it acted on the suggestions but did not deny that the HR department had devised the strategy document, not did it refute any of the elaboration provided by the Independent’s informed source. In fact, the company itself decided to publish the document due to media and political pressure.
Perhaps the most unusual aspect of the controversy was the fact the language used in the document was committed to paper, as many of the suggested tactical approaches may not be so unusual in industry. In fact, most of the document is innocuous. If the push factors are excluded, then little by way of controversy would have emerged.
The leak has put the focus squarely on the airline’s HR department and other top managers. The new chief executive, Dermott Mannion, knows that HR and industrial relations issues are critical to the company’s success. Meanwhile, talks aimed at securing work practice changes under the business plan in return for a productivity deal have taken over 18 months to date, with a final agreement expected this autumn.
This information is made available through the European Industrial Relations Observatory (EIRO), as a service to users of the EIROnline database. EIRO is a project of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. However, this information has been neither edited nor approved by the Foundation, which means that it is not responsible for its content and accuracy. This is the responsibility of the EIRO national centre that originated/provided the information. For details see the "About this record" information in this record.
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http://www.eiro.eurofound.ie/2005/09...e0509201n.html