Virgin on the Ridiculous?

At long last, that bearded arsehole Richard Branson (sorry, Sir Richard Branson), has come out in his trues colours, openly threatening the workforce at Virgin Atlantic. According to Dickie, cabin staff currently balloting for possible strike action should "consider working elsewhere" if they don't like the current pay offer. A very constructive approach to industrial relations. Whilst some might be surprised to find 'cuddly' Sir Dickie, that champion of the little person, taking such a nineteenth century approach to his workers, I'm not. For years now I've been trying to tell people not to be fooled by his public image. The reality is that Branson is simply an opportunist, looking for the next high profile bandwagon he can jump onto in order to make yet more money. This whole customer-friendly schtick is just a marketing ploy. He doesn't give a toss, in my opinion. It doesn't matter to Branson whether he actually knows anything about the businesses he enters into, just so long as he can turn a profit. Just look at Virgin Trains - what a fucking fiasco. Just ask Virgin Trains passengers whether Branson cares about them. I guess if they don't like he service, they should consider using another one...

But people still fall for his bollocks, despite the growing catalogue of failures. Just look at Virgin Media. This is a typical example of the Branson hype and its utter lack of substance. If we're to believe Dickie, he's the new force in British mass media, offering phones, TV and broadband via his new company. Well, the truth's a little bit different. For a start, he doesn't actually own the company. He isn't even the majority shareholder. In reality, Virgin Media is simply a trading name used by NTL-Telewest Ltd. Branson is simply the largest single shareholder, and licences NTL-Telewest to use the Virgin brand for trading purposes. As anybody who has had the misfortune to deal with 'Virgin Media' will know, their customer service seems to have got worse since Branson's involvement. Far from being a media tycoon, Branson is simply a pygmy trying to ride someone else's coat tails. Getting back to the Virgin Atlantic pay dispute - this just underlines the ugly truth about Branson. If his businesses are as successful and profitable as he likes to make out, why is he so reluctant to allow those who have been instrunental in their success - his staff - share in that success with improved wages? Or is the truth that those profits are largely due to keeping his costs (eg wages) unrealistically low? Obviously, increasing pay would eat into the shareholders profits. Trust me, they're the only one's Dickie cares about. He clearly doesn't give a shit about his employees or customers. Sadly though, he's a great self-publicist who has succeeded in maintaining this benevolent public persona. Hopefully, his recent outburst will help lift the scales from the public's eyes.