British Airways In The News

[Domestic Goddess]

Article from Yahoo News:

A devout Christian woman who was employed as a check-in worker at British Airways has lost an appeal against a decision to stop her wearing a cross.

Nadia Eweida, 55, has been refusing to return to work since bosses told her last month she could not wear the necklace to work.

She lost her appeal against the decision when she met BA on Monday although the airline said she had the right to a second appeal.

BA said Miss Eweida had until next week to decide if she wanted to take up the option of a second appeal.

The airline said she had been offered a non-uniformed job where she could wear a cross, but she had turned this down.

The firm continued to insist that if she wanted to carry on working in the check-in area of Heathrow Airport, she would not be allowed to wear a cross.

BA has said there is no ban on religious jewellery, but it has to be hidden from view.

Miss Eweida, from Twickenham, south west London, claimed she had worn the cross throughout her seven years with BA and accused the firm of religious discrimination.

She said she did not want to hide the cross because "Jesus has to be glorified".

She added: "I am not politically motivated or minded, I just follow the Biblical truth."



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I think this is really unfair as BA allows workers to wear turbans and muslim head dresses. Surely ALL religious items should be allowed or NONE to make it fair for everyone.

What do you all think?

[Omega]

I know that rules are rules and so on and so forth.......

But as others have said if a person from a different denomination can wear turbans, or head dresses etc then why does the cross have to be hidden; as DG has said let's hope that BA are as stringent about applying the same rule to all "religious items" whether it be jewellery or clothing.

[marieuk]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Omega @ 20th November 2006 - 5:42 PM) 212142</div>
I know that rules are rules and so on and so forth.......

But as others have said if a person from a different denomination can wear turbans, or head dresses etc then why does the cross have to be hidden; as DG has said let's hope that BA are as stringent about applying the same rule to all "religious items" whether it be jewellery or clothing.
[/b]




Sorry all but i have to agree with O, because it the rule did apply to religious clothing aslo, i could see someone claiming racial discrimination :( it is a very tricky situation.


To throw another spanner in the works a quick question for you all, something i have been pondering on while thinking about above case, is a wedding band/ring not classed as a religious item, :blink: i know it is a strange question but i am aware that most religions have them and that you do not have to be particually religious to wear one, but you wear it once married and it is on show, if it is classed as a religious item should that be covered up also, just how far does the "rule" go?


Love a curious Muk xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[marieuk]

Ok had a bit of a think on question and after considering it (after 13 hours work so far :rolleyes: ) i have come to think that a wedding band may not be a religious item :D as non religious people also wear them, sorry for the confusion i think i may go and have a lie down now as brain went to sleep at least an hour ago now :P .






Love the drip Muk xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[sesentayuno]

I do sympathise with the women and I seriously think BA should relax their rule, like the French govenment should relax their rule on all religious items to be worn in school.

However, if BA chose to be strigent about it, then the employees should respect that. It would also be unfair (IMHO) to draw parallel with the sikhs' turban or the muslims' headscarf because it was written in their teachings for them to wear it and it is impossible to hide. I have also seen companies where people from these groups wear the turban and headscarves as part of the uniform (in the company colour or with the company logo), which would be difficult to do with a crucifix.

This is a highly sensitive subject and I hope my comments will not offend anyone from any group. :)

Ses

[StoneHenge]

BA actually said, if the cross was bigger, it would be allowed. So if she wore a very large cross (say, as a nun would), then this would then be allowed, however, her smaller cross is seen as an item of jewellry, not a religious symbol, therefore it breaches their rules.

I understand turbans etc as they are a religious symbol, but written into their readings to be worn as a sign of respect, so you cannot argue with that. I would imagine that they are not allowed to wear some of the elaborate items of jewellery apart from wedding bands, given that they tend to wear a lot of gold, and this would also be considered inappropriate. So if they are not allowed to wear items such as this, then it would make sense that she is not also.

I do feel that they could have compromised with her though. She wants to be able to display her sign of respect to her religion, so they could have found some other way for her to do that.

[Annabel]

What a load of phooey this is. the trouble with wearing a cross is that it has become a fashion item, worn by many who are not remotely religious, so I can well understand that BA felt it was 'jewellery' rather than a symbol of her religious conviction. the woman concerned could just as easily wear that cross under her clothes, why does she have to have it on show???????? why does anyone have to baltantly show their religuious conviction to others? why cant these things be kept understated? why do we have to have everyone shoving it in each others faces? i get very cross about this kind of thing, its like 'my religion is better than yours, i am more devout than you are because i am openly showing you my religious symbols'

This case is just blatant opportunism to scream religious discrimination at BA and to claim compensation. very cynical.

[BelaLu]

Is it not time people just grew up????
Stop treating their religions like it is the one and only truth. Original post....The Biblical Truth.
Like how does she know that!
What you feel to be right you are rightly entitled to believe. But none of us actually 'know' what is out there. Its just not for us to know. A bit of tolerance doesn't go amiss.

I have a pentagram tattoo on my arm but keep it covered depending on where I am as I don't want to offend anyone, but does anyone keep their religion to themselves so as not to offend me?? Ooh no.
Lucky I really don't mind what others believe.

If jewellery isn't to be shown and it is in the contract then just abide by what you signed up to.

And to add to someones comment of wedding rings.....it should be compulsory for men to wear them...saves us single girls a lot of wasted time!!! :blush:

[c1rcle]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BelaLu @ 21st November 2006 - 11:36 AM) 212272</div>And to add to someones comment of wedding rings.....it should be compulsory for men to wear them...saves us single girls a lot of wasted time!!! :blush:
[/b]
I disagree partly, there are times when wearing a wedding ring could be dangerous to the wearers health, shortly after I got married I was working in a factory that had large dangerous machines & a guy lost his finger in a machine thanks to his wedding ring. I've worn my ring for so long now that even if I stop being married the mark will never go away so you seeing that would immediately assume I'm still married & not give me a second look, a little bit unfair on both of us don't you think? :D

[BelaLu]

Wedding rings.....yes, ok, they could be H&S issue....but I was joking.....trying to lighten a rather serious discussion. Its a tad irritating to meet someone really nice who you get on with, signals aplenty....only to discover that they are married and that you have to run away...very fast....

:bigeyes:

:blush:

[Noise Stopper]

I wear a wedding ring, but would wonder how big a symbol we are talking about? Jesus at Golgotha big or Ali G big? and should it be diamond encrusted? Bling on the dancing horses!

Ian :nfh1:

[c1rcle]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Noise Stopper @ 21st November 2006 - 12:52 PM) 212306</div>
I wear a wedding ring, but would wonder how big a symbol we are talking about? Jesus at Golgotha big or Ali G big? and should it be diamond encrusted? Bling on the dancing horses!

Ian :nfh1:
[/b]
The cross that caused all the fuss is the size of a 5p coin, BA did say that if the cross was bigger like something a nun would wear then they wouldn't have a problem with her wearing it.

[tortoise]

I didn't like the comment the lady made about "Jesus is to be glorified" when asked to cover her cross. She may want to glorify him, but others won't.

However we live in a Christian country and she should be able to display her cross.

A Muslim veil by the way isn't strictly religious. It doesn't say in the Koran that it has to be worn, it is a modesty thing.

Sikh ladies where I work are allowed to wear their nose rings as long as they are studs as they wear them as wedding "rings". We are allowed a gold band or similar, so I remove my engagement ring and wear my eternity ring instead.

I have to tie up my hair and wear a net over it too. Much as the guy on our shift does, except he wears a turban, that must be black for work.

[marieuk]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Yi Win @ 21st November 2006 - 6:07 PM) 212368</div>
Hi,
Very true - if only christians wore the cross then it probably would not be classed a an item of jewellary but an item of religion only and be allowed - but even so it would have to be a discreat wearing of it I would imagine.
[/b]



True, but then can this not be applied to the Sikh ladies who wear nose studs/rings at Tortoise's workplace as they are often worn by others as an item of jewellary?



Love Muk xxxxxxxxxx

[marieuk]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Yi Win @ 21st November 2006 - 8:27 PM) 212397</div>
As I said it all needs to be taken into consideration and the press are throwing it all out of proportion and i think maybe the press could actually be the cause of world war three eventually with all their stirings up!!!
[/b]


I agree Yi Win, they always do sometimes it is very difficult to get the true picture as you have to wade through all the cr*p they dress it up with :rolleyes:





Love Muk xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[marieuk]

Yi agree, fingers crossed thought about no WW3 :bigeyes:




Love Muk xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[ozzychick]

I’m getting sick of this country and the way it's being run to be honest. It seems that we do everything for the foreigners and other religions but when it comes to our own traditions we are told to stop as it's offending others.
At the end of the day people should have respect to the people and traditions of the country they are living in, if they don’t like it then get out. They won’t though of course because of the benefits etc they will loose!

I personally wouldn’t dream of living in another country and complaining about their way of life, I would have more respect and so should others when they live here.


:rant: