[Craig_Mawlam]

Tom,

I think you will find that what both Philip and I share in common about the article is our disgust about the way the window cleaning industry is portrayed as burglars, and that includes you. Philip is working hard on a publication that will strive to promote professionalism within our industry. In 1997 I established the BWCA to do the same, for us its a way of giving something back to the industry that we have dedicated our careers too. When you put so much effort into taking the industry forward it is dissapointing when others try to pull it backwards.

Though I choose to laugh this one off, I still feel that the item is derogatory to all of us. Hiding behind satire is a poor excuse to defame an entire industry and I for one am not happy that people like you are branded as burglars.

The author was careful not to use the Prime Ministers name, using Mr Blah instead clearly marks the item out as satire. The author could have done the same thing with the BWCA, he/she could have simply refered to the existance of a training centre for window cleaners.

Perhaps (and this is satire) window cleaners who think its funny to be branded as burglars have a darker side to their past?

Rgds
Craig

[Philip Hanson]

Bristol Evening Post's Response
======================

Interestingly, the Bristol Evening Post did not have "a little chuckle" at my email, but instead have taken my complaint seriously and printed it in its entirety in its "Feedback" column.

To give credit where due, the paper (which is Bristol's main paper, and a good-quality daily) has shown a balance by printing my letter, and I will be thanking them for it.

Also, perhaps the BEP may be a bit more sensitive to publishing derogatory comments, even satirically, with regard to window cleaners.  If this is the case, then my complaint has been well worth the effort.

In response to my complaint being printed, the person who originally sent "The Devil's Advocate" the BWCA information, a man named John Boucher, has himself written to the paper to give some background as to why he did so, and his letter holds a very important lesson for us window cleaners, and especially those among us who are seeking commercial contracts.

(This man is a Facilities Manager for a commercial building, and the BWCA came to his attention as a result of an approach by a window cleaner using a pole system)

His letter is basically explaining the background in a "take it as a joke and don't get so worked up about it" kind of way, fair enough, but also he now has an appreciation for the issues important to window cleaners (Notice what it was that caused him to doubt the accuracy of the leaflet):

"To be honest, I did not consider the health and safety aspects of window cleaning, nor did I consider the cleaning of windows on large office blocks. My mind contained images of domestic window cleaners with ladders, chamois and bucket, and the thought of an NVQ for this filled me with mirth - so much so that I passed it on to Mr Beelzebub as it struck me that he might also be amused, along with his readers.

Speaking purely personally, I do not doubt that the BWCA is an excellent and honourable institution.

Nor do I believe that window cleaners are all off-duty burglars."

You can read his whole letter HERE

Now to be reasonable, I can take a joke, and I know "The Devils Advocate" column probably better than anyone else on this forum as it appears in my local paper, I know its not intended to be a serious kind of thing.  But what really sticks in my throat is that window cleaners are too often portrayed as criminals or stupid people, even when its done in a jokey fashion.  And the idea that training for us might be some hilarious joke too, is something that I find hard to swallow.  I have (and will continue to) do all I can to try to get people to think of our industry in a professional way, and I don't mind taking some stick for doing that (even from other window cleaners!)

This man now has a better understanding of how important professional standards are to our industry, and that training for window cleaners is not a joke.  I'm very glad about this.

-Philip

[matt]

Philip i agree with you on this one

what would have happened if the article had read something like this

whilst stopped at triffic lights, i saw 2 BLACK MEN getting out of a BMW, the proceded to carry a parcel to the front door of a house, they must have been Drug dealers, afterall arent all black men in BMW's drug dealers

would the editor of a newspaper have let this article, satire or not ?? ?? ?? ??

[mickeyfat]