The decision by British Airways to sack an employee for wearing a cross around her neck is short-sighted, idiotic discrimination.
Imagine the following situation: a man is employed in a shop to work behind the counter and serve the customers. He is happy, likes his job and is very good at it. His female colleague, who’s in a wheelchair, also likes her job. She greets the customers with a friendly smile and her wheelchair doesn’t stop her from moving around the shop or from carrying out any daily tasks her job involves. But one day, her employers say they don’t like the visible form of transport she uses and so they sack her. Is it fair? No not at all – and neither would the industrial tribunals agree with it. And neither should they because it’s a blatant form of discrimination.
So why did British Airways take the decision to sack a Christian for wearing her cross when Sikhs are allowed to wear turbans and a bangle and Muslims are able to wear the hijab? According got their statement, they said that BA allows “personal items of jewellery, including crosses…but underneath the uniform.” Surely this can’t be a health and safety issue because turbans, bangles and hijabs would all have to fall under this ruling too, but can it be just a plain and simple jewellery issue where no employee is allowed to wear earrings, rings or any item of jewellery at all?
Despite wearing her cross at work for seven years, Miss Eweida was told to remove it for no other apparent reason than BA has become too politically correct for its own good. A “Jobsworth” senior employee has decided to follow the company rule to the letter but in doing so has made themselves and the company out to be a complete joke.
Maybe Christians should have a louder voice because if this had been against another religion, it’s unlikely to have happened. With the status of some religions delicately balanced, no-one wants to offend certain groups but Christians are an easy target because of their mild-mannered exterior.
This case is nothing less than ridiculous and shows how some religions are treated differently from others as well as non-religious groups. At least it’s welcome news that they have started an immediate review of their uniform policy and the pressure should be on them to change it straight away. Either BA show that they treat everyone the same, employees as well as customers, or they rename themselves Bigot Airways.
Links:
BBC coverage including an interview with Nadia Eweida news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6165368.stm
Coverage from The Independent newspaper http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article1999290.ece
