Those Churchill Cranes

[ichkeria]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2930818/Anger-BBC-Churchill-documentary-docker-s-claim-operators-paid-lower-cranes.html

I was watching a documentary about Churchill's funeral today and there was a docker interviewed who claimed that they were paid to dip the cranes. I assumed this must be a repeat and was common knowledge but it seems to have got the Daily Mail steamed up. And after the initial denial, a further piece by the lovely Simon Heffer slamming the 'in patriotic strikes'

That'll be the BBC sold off then :-)

[ichkeria]

'Unpatriotic'

[DTCwordfan]

About time....

[jno]

it was news to me too. I didn't see the programme so I don't know if it sounded plausible; but presumably it did, otehrwise the Mail wouldn't be getting its knickers in a twist.

"It was shocking to include these claims in an otherwise superb documentary even if there was some truth in them."
...BBC censured for telling the truth - as it did in the war, of course.

[ichkeria]

I was rather shocked at the tone of the article I must say (I never learn)

[DTCwordfan]

twas on the other night - remember that the East End dockers were only second to the miners in terms of industrial strikes and being influenced by the Communists or quasi-Communists. They saw Churchill as being a toff and not being bothered about them at all.....

[Zacs-Master]

Trying to put 21st century political correctness onto a mid 20th century scenario is a bit sillier. The GP weren't as media savvy back then.

[Prudie]

I'm surprised that anyone would have thought they did it for nothing. Why is this so shocking?

[ichkeria]

Churchill, as we know was not celebrated for his opinions :-) He was anti Union, anti foreigners, against votes for women and even compared Attlee's Labour Party to the Gestapo. None of that takes away from his achievement in guiding what was left of the free world to defeat nazism
However the Mail seems to think that one interview with one docker is enough to damn a fitting tribute to the man. Bizarre

[DTCwordfan]

One of the Daily Wail's raison d'etres for its existence is to shoot down anyone famous, any one who has demonstrated excellence. So am I surprised? No.

[Zacs-Master]

Nah, they're just leading their readers down the angry highway to outragedsville. Again.

[boxtops]

Why is it steaming people up, why wouldn't they be paid if they are working the equipment (tribute or not)?

[ichkeria]

...on a Saturday too

[askyourgran]

The dockers didn't work on Saturdays. So the incentive was to pay them for an organised tribute. Funerals in those days were extremely solemn affairs everything was organised and rehearsed - sometimes plans were made before the person had actually died. Churchill was a popular figure that took the nation through the war years, I suspect his funeral would have been attended by Royalty and dignitaries from other countries so a decent show would have been necessary.

[ludwig]

Typical Mail ***.

'Unions disrespect Churchill by wanting to get paid for working on Saturday and BBC weasels add insult to injury by reporting it shocker!'.

[ludwig]

B O L L U X

[Old_Geezer]

I was clearly too young to remember every detail of the original event since I didn't recall the crane dip but saw it shown recently. But I agree this is a fuss over nothing. Oh course it's reasonable to pay folk to come in and perform a task. And whilst all would appreciate Churchill's role in the war years, many would not like his Conservative right wing politics during the peace that followed.

[anotheoldgit]

ichkeria

/// I was watching a documentary about Churchill's funeral today and there was a docker interviewed who claimed that they were paid to dip the
cranes. ///

A typical Leftist/Union view, to disagree with something, but willing to change their mind just as long their palm is greased enough.

/// but it seems to have got the Daily Mail steamed up. ///

Can't see any evidence of that, but it does seem to have got you and other anti-Daily Mailers steamed. up,

[Marshwarble]

It's weird that the Wail kicked up such a fuss, the dockers are no longer there, nor the cranes.