Saturday, December 06, 2008
Barmaid sacked after blogging about defence minister.
A New York barmaid was sacked after blogging about the Belgian defence minister's alleged antics during an official visit to the city. Nathalie Lubbe Bakker was fired from her job after government officials rang the bar owner to complain about the claims relating to Pieter De Crem. Miss Lubbe Bakker, also a Belgian, said she was shocked when she recognised the defence minister among a rowdy party of her countrymen who "stumbled" into the B-Café. Writing on her "Living in New York" blog the next day, Miss Lubbe Bakker claimed the minister's sang "bawdy" songs and made persistent demands to take over the serving of drinks behind the bar. Four days later, after her posting had been picked by Belgium's De Standaard newspaper, Miss Lubbe Bakker reported on her blog that she had been sacked after a defence ministry telephone call to her boss. "I was astonished to learn from a well-informed source that the defence minister's spokesman had telephoned the bar's owner," she wrote.
"What the contents of that conversation were are unknown to me but when my next shift finished, he dismissed me on the spot without any explanation."
...This is bad news, very bad news. I hope that Pieter De Crem loses his own job when the Belgians have their next elections. Many politicians come across as boring people and the story of him partying in a bar should have lifted his public profile, not reduced it. The freedom of speech must be upheld throughout the world. Time and time again bloggers are being sacked because they have written about their day jobs. As for the owner of the B-Cafe in New York, he must be an ignorant arsehole and I hope his business goes down the plug hole. People must have the right to free expression and although employers buy our time they should not be able to buy our thoughts.
A New York barmaid was sacked after blogging about the Belgian defence minister's alleged antics during an official visit to the city. Nathalie Lubbe Bakker was fired from her job after government officials rang the bar owner to complain about the claims relating to Pieter De Crem. Miss Lubbe Bakker, also a Belgian, said she was shocked when she recognised the defence minister among a rowdy party of her countrymen who "stumbled" into the B-Café. Writing on her "Living in New York" blog the next day, Miss Lubbe Bakker claimed the minister's sang "bawdy" songs and made persistent demands to take over the serving of drinks behind the bar. Four days later, after her posting had been picked by Belgium's De Standaard newspaper, Miss Lubbe Bakker reported on her blog that she had been sacked after a defence ministry telephone call to her boss. "I was astonished to learn from a well-informed source that the defence minister's spokesman had telephoned the bar's owner," she wrote.
"What the contents of that conversation were are unknown to me but when my next shift finished, he dismissed me on the spot without any explanation."
...This is bad news, very bad news. I hope that Pieter De Crem loses his own job when the Belgians have their next elections. Many politicians come across as boring people and the story of him partying in a bar should have lifted his public profile, not reduced it. The freedom of speech must be upheld throughout the world. Time and time again bloggers are being sacked because they have written about their day jobs. As for the owner of the B-Cafe in New York, he must be an ignorant arsehole and I hope his business goes down the plug hole. People must have the right to free expression and although employers buy our time they should not be able to buy our thoughts.
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