BBC’s treatment of Nick Ross is an ageist crime

The BBC have put themselves well and truly in the firing line by removing Nick Ross from his 23-year tenure as frontman for Crimewatch. Although it has not been officially stated, there is apparently little doubt that the Beeb consider Ross to be past his sell-by date at the age of 59. The fact that Ross has become something of a national institution has not been taken into account; neither have Ross’s charisma, charm and amazing ability to cheat the years, all of which are surely major factors in attracting and retaining viewers. It is the powers at the BBC who should be appearing on Crimewatch, charged with carrying out a monstrous exercise in ageism.

The Zimmers – you’ve been framed?

I am gratified to see that there has been a world-wide response to The Zimmers releasing a single which is a re-worked version  of The Who’s My Generation. The Zimmers were featured in the final programme of the recent BBC three-part series Power to the People highlighting the isolation of old people who feel marginalised by society. Any publicity drawing attention to this blot on our national landscape can only be a good thing but I seriously question whether The Zimmers will achieve what they set out to do – or exactly the opposite.

 The combined age of the 40 members of the band is 3000, with the lead singer, Alf, a wel-preserved 90. However, if I am brutally honest, watching them perform made me cringe. Old people singing Who songs are simply not cool; if anything their rather contrived rendition of this classic rock song reinforces stereotypes. I’m all for breaking down age barriers and taboos but, realistically, there are limits. Growing old disgracefully is something to be encouraged but am I the only one feeling more than a little uneasy about The Zimmers?

The truth about older workers

Employers often tend to under-value older workers because of long established negative beliefs about their contribution and ‘value for money’, which in turn leads to ageism and age discrimination. It is often thought that older workers are more expensive than their younger colleagues. They are, of course, often paid more because of seniority and incremental pay awards.
Nevertheless, recent research implies that some organisations value the knowledge, relevant experience and loyalty of the older employee which more than compensates for higher salaries.
(Source: Centre for Research into the Older Workforce July 2006)

The training of older workers

Recent research indicates that workers who receive training after their fiftieth birthday are likely to stay longer in the workforce. This is probably due to the greater employability of workers with higher skill levels and increased loyalty resulting from the organisation’s investment in the employee.
Levels of qualification have been rising since the Second World War. People now in their 50s and 60s generally are better qualified than previous generations, but they are not as well qualified as workers in their 30s or 40s. However, often the training of the older workers is informal and problems arise when older employees are the victims of ageism and made redundant and forced to seek new employment.
Government priorities for development should be to ensure equal access to current training, compensation for previous inequality, and learning to manage age discrimination.
(Source: Centre for Research into the Older Workforce July 2006)

Top companies shun experience

An analysis of the “Sunday Times 100 Best companies to work for 2006” indicates that seven of the companies had no staff over the age of 55, while overall the percentage of employees in this category over the age of 55 was seven per cent.
The picture is bleaker with the ”Sunday Times 100 Best Small companies to work for 2006”. Thirty one of the companies had no employees over the age of 55, while overall the percentage of employees in this category over the age of 55 was six per cent.
It is our aim eventually to “name and shame” these companies and challenge them about their compliance with the new employment legislation.

Older employees valued

According to Sam Mercer, Director of the Employers Forum on Age, “Employers are increasingly recognising the value and contribution of older employees. Age diversity delivers different attitudes, life-stages and experiences and helps ensure organisations are better able to understand their diverse customers, and to respond to fluctuations in demand. Many UK employers are already taking advantage of the flexibility older workers can offer over hours and seasonal working”.
Commenting further on myths that fuel age discrimination, Mercer said: “Employers are also gradually recognising and benefiting from the fact that many older skilled people aren’t just “in it for the money” as work provides much valued stimulation and social contact for those who do not want to move full-time into the garden or onto the golf course.” (Sam Mercer, Director of the Employers Forum on Age, quoted in Be Ready newsletter, July 2006.)