Human Interest: Royal Mail workers lose iPod perk

Today's Apple-related human interest story centers on employees of the UK's Royal Mail. MacWorld UK reports that their communal iPod has been confiscated by management.

The iPod was provided by the Royal Mail to improve working conditions at a sorting depot in Newcastle. After one worker loaded a "rude spoof version" of "Oops, I did it again" (originally by musical maestro B. Spears[1]), the iPod was confiscated and disciplinary action launched. A Royal Mail spokesman said: "Royal Mail has an absolute policy of respect for all, and total opposition to any form of harassment." I'm pretty sure that being forced to listen to "Oops, I did it again" whether in its original or spoof version counts as musical assault but I don't quite see how it's "harassment". Here's hoping for a speedy return of the workers' iPod.

[1] No Köchel catalog numbering for "Oops, I did it again" is available at this time