In my opinion his remarks were just a harmless joke and I am positive that is how he meant them. Some people will agree with me and others won't and that is OK.
My opinion, like everyone else's is coloured by my experience and as I wasn't one of the strikers I can't really say how any of them would feel. I do think that taking legal advice and asking for him to be sacked is a massive over reaction.
The other point here is about the platform he was using when he made his remarks. He would (probably) have got away with it on Top Gear, which is primarily a light entertainment show, but doing the same thing on The One Show, which borders on current affairs, is not quite so safe.
The lesson for Public Speakers is very clear. Make sure your message is right for the platform. It is OK, and desirable, to use humour but make sure you don't use material that will alienate any of your audience. As a speaker you are not just responsible for what you say, you are also responsible for how people receive it.
