TWO Islamic postal workers launched legal action against Royal Mail after being refused extra breaks to pray up to five times a shift.The devout Muslims were told they were not entitled to more rest periods than non-Muslim colleagues.Abdinour Omer and Guled Bashir, who insisted they had insufficient time for prayer, took Royal Mail to an employment tribunal, claiming religious discrimination.The hearing in Bristol was told that the Somali agency workers, who cannot speak English, wanted three additional breaks during their 4pm-to-midnight shift at the city’s main sorting office.
But they dropped their claim just hours into the case, after being told they had “no chance of winning”.The postal workers’ legal representative was warned that tribunal chairman Clive Toomer would “almost certainly” reject their claim.Earlier this year Mr Toomer found in favour of Royal Mail when he dismissed similar claims of religious discrimination from the pair’s former colleague Abukar Jimale.Speaking at the start of the hearing for Omer and Bashir, Mr Toomer criticised the case and said it should have been combined with Jimale’s to save money.An unnamed translator said: “They have withdrawn their case because they were told by their solicitor that they have a very, very slim chance, almost no chance of winning.“The chairman had heard a very similar case a few weeks ago and he found in favour of Royal Mail so he was certainly going to do the same in this one.”
He added: “They haven’t been given any money and no changes have been made. They are very fortunate not to have to pay the legal costs for Royal Mail.”Mr Toomer told the tribunal this week: “The claimants wish to withdraw their claims in the proceedings and the respondents have agreed.“I propose on the respondent’s undertaking to make no application for costs providing those two claims are withdrawn.”A spokesman for Royal Mail yesterday described the decision on Monday as a “victory for common sense”. He said: “The two men were agency staff who were hired by Royal Mail to work in the distribution centre.“They worked the night shift between 4pm and midnight and, as any employers would do, we gave them breaks in that time, during which they could have prayed.”Omer and Bashir, who worked at the South West Distribution Centre in Severn Beach, have since left Royal Mail’s employment.
For a far more extensive representation of muslim violence worldwide go to the Religion of Peace website
No comments:
Post a Comment