Retail Apartheid?

[mushroom25]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2527820/Marks-Spencer-tells-Muslim-staff-CAN-refuse-serve-customers-buying-alcohol-pork.html

Good Idea?

[anotheoldgit]

pastafreak

/// I hope this thread does not turn into an anti Muslim tirade. This is not *just* about Muslims but about all other religious/ ethnic groups who may have reasons for not handling different products...be it Hindus and beef,or devout Catholics selling meat on a Friday. Because...if this policy applies to one group,then it should apply to all. ///

Shopping in a supermarket, is all going to get rather confusing if this type of thing catches on, Non smokers refusing to serve tobacco products, Catholics refusing to server contraceptives, vegetarians refusing to sell meat, etc, etc.

[THECORBYLOON]

ANOTHEOLDGIT, under what legislation would a non-smoker be allowed to refuse to sell tobacco? With regard to the hotel owners, the legislation used was The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 and different legislation applies in the M & S case.

[2sp_]

Personally I think bananas are the work of the devil, but when I was a schoolgirl and had a job as a checkout girl at our local supermarket, I had to serve them to customers.

This is just plain silly.

[hc4361]

Corbyloon, if he were a Mormon or a Muslim, come to that.

[boxtops]

Jordy, I've known that to happen, and GPs who won't give family planning/termination advice because they don't believe in it - it's not a joke.

This M&S ruling is ridiculous. The sales personnel are not being asked to handle the meat products without wrappings, nor the alcohol. It's PC gone way-way over the top.

[boxtops]

I have a Jewish friend who works on the tills at Tesco, she's never declined to handle my bacon (if you'll pardon the expression, LOL).

[2sp_]

I bet that this directive has come from some Non Muslim in M&S management rather from the Muslim workers themselves.

[boxtops]

I bet it has, 2_sp - the Muslim and Jewish people I know wouldn't have any problem with other people's shopping, they're not being asked to eat or drink it - they wouldn't be on the tills or behind the counter if they thought that they'd be forbidden from working in this way.

[2sp_]

Exactly, boxy, but the backlash and outrage will be aimed at the Muslims.

[anotheoldgit]

THECORBYLOON

/// ANOTHEOLDGIT, under what legislation would a non-smoker be allowed to refuse to sell tobacco? With regard to the hotel owners, the legislation used was The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 and different legislation applies in the M & S case. ///

A rule for one and different rule for others, prime example of an uneven playing field, how dare they call it the Equality Act, when it does not treat everyone equally?

[boxtops]

I heard the other day that someone had been told off for making a derogatory remark about a particular fat person, because it could be offensive to all fat people. For Funks Sake.

[hc4361]

I'm aiming my outrage at M&S. This sort of thing does absolutely nothing for racial harmony.

[THECORBYLOON]

HC the refusal to sell the tobacco would be for religious reasons and NOT because they were non-smokers in the same way that a Muslim could refuse the sale of alcohol, not because they do not consume alcohol but because their faith prohibits it.

[boxtops]

Hear hear, hc - I agree entirely

[boxtops]

corby, but the faith prohibits the consumption, not the sale of same....

[Baldric]

The Customer pays the Staff's wages which is something the Staff should be aware of.
If they're not prepared to do what they are paid to do . . .
Move over, there are plenty of jobseekers that would!

[THECORBYLOON]

ANOTHEOLDGIT, equality but not when it comes to couples of the same sex being refused for that reason eh?

[Gromit]

I have my suspicions that this story will prove to be NOT true. I have looked on M&S' website at their staff terms and conditions and there is nothing to confirm this story.

http://corporate.marksandspencer.com/documents/specific/howwedobusiness/our_people/employeehandbook

Both the Mail and Telegraph stories are remarkably similar, including a customer who was alledgedly refused by a muslim checkout girl but who wished to remain anonymous. Both reports are structured the same as if they are from the same source. The reports do not have confirmation from a senior M&S manager.

I would not be surprised if the alledged M&S directive (if it exists) may say muslim workers can be exempted from working on the shopfloor handling meat and alcohol, but that would not include serving customers. And would not allow staff to refuse to serve customers.

If this was Call my Bluff, I am holding a "False" card.