A Hinkley Point C construction worker who also serves as a GMB union rep has hit back at a national news story over the weekend claiming that builders are going ‘woke’.
The Mail on Sunday story reported on the findings of a Toolstation survey, which found that two-thirds of builders regularly talk about their feelings and emotions with colleagues.
It also reported that one in 10 starts the day practising either Pilates or yoga, while a similar number meditate.
According to the newspaper, nearly half of the 2,000 construction workers polled were interested in history, while 30% followed politics and 60% were interested in science.
Meanwhile, one in three reported being vegetarian or eating meat less than twice a week. The survey also found that 75% of those surveyed said they enjoyed reading history, autobiographies and novels, while only one in five preferred reading the sports pages in newspapers.
The Mail’s story was headlined: “UK builders go WOKE”.
But the story prompted a reaction on video from Hinkley Point C worker ‘Jamie’, who is also a GMB union rep.
He said: “I’ve got a message for the Mail newspaper in a story calling us all ‘woke’. We work long hours in a manual job for long stretches away from our family and friends. We have the highest suicide rate among male occupations. It is not easy being away from your home and family but I guess you wouldn’t understand that. So if you think it’s a laugh to take the mick out of us about yoga and meditation and other things, like our feelings, speaking to each other about our mental health, you need to give your head a wobble and get in the real world.”
Toolstation head of marketing Greg Richardson said: “Those who work in the trades are changing, and our research shows that many outdated stereotypes no longer reflect reality.”
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Builders haven’t gone woke but the Constrcution Media is woke.
The construction media is forever waffling on about diversity and inclusion, gender pay gap and climate alarmism.
Builders are interested in speed of construction, where the best deals are for materials, material shortages and alternatives as well as new construction techniques.
Great reply from Jamie in pushing back on the silliness of the Mail article. Social interaction between construction team members both binds teams together and certainly assists in tolerating the long periods away from family. Keep it going. Best, Bernie Ainsworth
A brilliant comment and very true. Maybe the general media should also be included and they should start to celebrate the achievements of the construction industry instead of sniping at those who add so much to the country.
The Mail article appears to try to ridicule construction workers with the negative ‘woke’ label. In reality, those construction workers should be applauded for their EQ, social awareness and team work – as well as for their professional and practical skills.
Excellent response. I am sick and tired of media reporting on matters in the real word from their gated communities without even a look out the window as to the realities of life. Does the MAIL think we are all right-leaning selfish people like themselves without a shred of empathy for our fellow workers which is after all the primary responsibility of the first and second clause of Health and Safety legislation.