Library flag rumpus
Many years ago, when I worked on a national newspaper, a new editor arrived with a set of house rules.
Or tidy house rules, since these involved sweeping our desks of all belongings at the end of each day.
He was even known to take a can of Mr Sheen round the newsroom himself - and give the desks a final polish.
Journalists are not the tidiest of creatures - I have a colleague who claims to be cultivating a collection of rotting oranges on his desk for scientific reasons - but one day that old newspaper cutting/theatre programme/council agenda will provide a vital piece of information for a story you've been working on.
On a personal level, it's also a chance to bring a little individuality to your workspace whether that's a family photo, a bunch of flowers or those aforementioned rotten oranges.
Harmless too, unless you work in a call centre, share your desk or accidentally eat one of the decomposed oranges.
Not so at the National Library of Scotland though, where there's been a right old rumpus about flags.
According to a series of emails, released to SNP MSP Christine Grahame, a member of staff was told to remove several Saltires, a Lion Rampant and a red tartan chair from his work station.
It was, according to Director of Customer Services Alex Miller, a nationalistic display "more appropriate to the football terraces."
Ms Miller's concern, she said, was that the display might intimidate non-Scottish colleagues.
When she returned two weeks after the first email to find the offending flags and tartan chair still in place - not to mention a movie calendar she found offensive - she personally took down some flags herself and put them in the culprit's in-tray.
It was at that point that Ms Grahame was alerted and tracked down the incriminating email conversation.
She was so outraged that she wrapped herself in a giant saltire and posed for photos on the steps of the library.
Ms Grahame said the incident was a "completely unacceptable slur on Scotland's national flag", but the National Library, in turn, insisted it hadn't banned anything.
According to Martyn Wade, National Librarian, "We merely asked a single individual to remove what we considered to be an excessive display of large flags from a desk in a shared, professional work area, and we would have done so regardless of what the flag was or indeed any other adornment."
Meanwhile, back on the stack floor - which is a grey and gloomy place, beneath George IV Bridge - staff are no doubt wondering whether they've all accidentally dozed off and ended up on the pages of George Orwell's 1984.
Not London’s South Bank, but the south bank of the River Clyde in Glasgow - every bit as lively in cultural terms as its namesake. I’m Pauline McLean, 91Èȱ¬ Scotland’s arts correspondent, and I’ll be blogging here about arts events and issues happening across the country.
Comment number 1.
At 24th Jun 2009, cmcconna wrote:Please tell me this is a wind up. What are we doing to our country! Its time we stop taking the Politicly correctness to extreme.
In this case, Any Non Scottish Colleagues should be already aware that they are living in Scotland as they chose to stay there.
Its like asking Tesco's to remove their on Branded goods from their stores just in case a Morrison's worker comes into the store.
Come on people, Scotland is Scottish, be proud to fly the flag
Craig from SCOTLAND
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Comment number 2.
At 24th Jun 2009, foodhoover wrote:As an Englishman who has lived and worked in Scotland since 1987, I find all of this stuff laughable. I live here because it is a good place to live, but I remain English. Equally I know several Scots who live south of the border and seem to love it too. Our company has no rules on desk etiquette, from where I sit I can see an stuffed cow, a toy skull, a few corporate trophies and a cross of st george, not in its role as the flag of england, but in its role as the city flag of Milan! It lives on the desk of a zambian chap, who is working on a milanese contract. Scots that have grown up can cope with this, only those rabid ones that cannot see any good coming from anywhere except Scotland seem to have a problem. I have yet to meet a Scot who is intimidated by others about their nationality. Be proud of your heritage, and your future, but remember, no country builds itself in isolation.
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Comment number 3.
At 24th Jun 2009, crazydenisthemenace wrote:I was born in England, lived in Scotland for 22 years, went to school there, my son lives there and I flew up to walk the Edinburgh Moonwalk in June 2008. I bought a Saltire flag in a shop in Princes Street and wore it for the full 26.2 miles of the Moonwalk, crossed the finish line with my flag proudly fluttering behind me. I also wore it again to this years London Moonwalk, again the full 26.2 miles. Other countries fly their flag and they don't give two hoots if it upsets people not native to their country. My Saltire is 5 feet long by 3 feet wide and I wear it like a cape held on with a large safety pin.
Tell the "jobsworths" to GET A LIFE. Be proud to fly the flag of your country! I am.
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Comment number 4.
At 24th Jun 2009, 510Chris wrote:I am an Englishman who has been happily resident in Scotland for the last 9 years.
Personally I'm glad that this issue of Scottish national identity has been addressed by the National Library of Scotland in what seems like a perfectly reasonable way.
I get the impression that there is not an issue with a Saltire being present, but to adorn a work station in multiple examples is a touch unnecessary within a diverse working environment?
I love Scotland, the people it's environment and history. I would suggest that Scotland has everything to be proud of, revel in it; but keep the football terrace, flag-waving Nationalist expressionism in a suitable place like the Moon Walk. Not draped all over the office!
On a slightly different note, I'd prefer to see my MSP pursuing something worthwhile and of benefit to each and everyone one of us, and not wasting time chasing minor photo opportunities which I'm sure will be tomorrows chip paper!
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Comment number 5.
At 24th Jun 2009, Gallowayreiver wrote:Is this really news or a political stunt that we are all pandering to. The saltire flies proud above the Library. Members of staff can display their flags on their desks. Great! Everone's happy
However, when a manager tells one guy to calm it down, next moment the Nat bully girls are parading with saltires, telling every one that the National Library of Scotland is a hub of anti Scottish endeavour!
Christine get back to Holyrood and continue your work in making Scotland great again.
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Comment number 6.
At 24th Jun 2009, redrobb wrote:I've got a question for you, just how many ex-pats south of the border who sold their houses for vast sums then bought some really nice properties north of the border (in commutting distance that is), then got cushy civil servant posts at the Scottish National Library? I'm betting I'll get a few nibbles on this line. The banning of items of this nature might be understandable in a private company but surely not in a organisation such as this! Personally if ban is actioned I'd start wearing designer saltire Shirt / Tie / Trousers / Shoes / Socks & Boxers! to work..........
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Comment number 7.
At 24th Jun 2009, cmcconna wrote:"Gallowayreiver wrote:
Is this really news or a political stunt that we are all pandering to. The saltire flies proud above the Library. Members of staff can display their flags on their desks. Great! Everone's happy
However, when a manager tells one guy to calm it down, next moment the Nat bully girls are parading with saltires, telling every one that the National Library of Scotland is a hub of anti Scottish endeavour! "
If this was as simple as that, then the statement "Non Scottish Colleagues" would never have been used as a reason to have the flags removed.
I seem to remember something similar happening not so long ago at a Fire Station further up North - Being ordered to take down the Saltire from outside the building.
!?!?!
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Comment number 8.
At 24th Jun 2009, Alastair wrote:I would have thought the Queen would have been a bit miffed, as I understand that the Lion Rampant is a Royal standard and its use is properly reserved for the Sovereign. I rather suspect that the employee is of a republican bent and isn't aware of this fact.....
I'm proud of my flag, and my country; however, I'm acutely embarrassed by the "patriotic" (read "bigoted") actions of my fellow countrymen.
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Comment number 9.
At 24th Jun 2009, RFC- more-trophies-than-anyone wrote:I think it is right that the Saltire has been banned from the workplace. Many who don't share the SNP's extremist nationalism would correctly see the flag as a territorial and provocative symbol, and only placed there to make others uncomfortable, which is an intolerable situation. So well done in getting it removed.
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Comment number 10.
At 24th Jun 2009, 510Chris wrote:At 12:17pm on 24 Jun 2009, Gallowayreiver wrote:
"Is this really news or a political stunt that we are all pandering to."
I'm sure it is a political stunt to get us all pandering to the agenda setters.
At 12:34pm on 24 Jun 2009, redrobb wrote:
"just how many ex-pats south of the border who sold their houses for vast sums then bought some really nice properties north of the border (in commutting distance that is), then got cushy civil servant posts at the Scottish National Library?"
I'm off to slather my place of work with Saltire tapestries, and drive those' marauding' ex-pats/cushy civil servants back off to Whitehall!
Heavens above anyone wants to enjoy living and working in Scotland but didn't originate north of the border?! I suspect that if any appointments made at the NLS were Welsh or Irish this wouldn't have even been thought about.
I wonder if it is this kind of Nationalist hubris which the National Library felt was not desirable in a working environment?
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Comment number 11.
At 24th Jun 2009, TLJ wrote:This appears to be just the latest in a series of gimmicks by Christine Grahame. Bringing Berwick back to Scotland was amusing but this one is plainly dangerous as it's the sort of story that appeals to the racist amongst us. If, as it is reported, the workstation "was more like the home end at Hampden", then it was wholly unprofessional and, most probably, a political statement - and, therefore wholly inappropriate for a public sector employee.
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