Morrisons suspends staff for wearing a Poppy

lostinrates

lawstudent wrote: »

. I don't see why Morrisons are kicking up such a fuss. I does more harm to their brand by being so anal about this uniform rule rather than supporting staff in wearing a poppy for a few weeks a year.

Neither do I , but I can think of scenarios wear the poppy wearing could be locally 'inciting' or cause poor staff relations.

Same as many of the more recent cases about who can/cannot wear various indicators of religion. Personally, little bothers me about what other people choose to wear but there are some circumstances (probably coloured by personal ignorance) that do make me a little uncomfortable. For example, I had a great doctor last year who wore a hijab and I was saddened that some others in the waiting room had been muttering. I do think I might have been uncomfortable were she in a burka. I cannot quite define my difference in feeling about the two though I could justify it with various excuses.

Twopints

lawstudent wrote: »

Just thought I would add I work for Tesco and they are really supportive of the poppy appeal. Donation boxes with poppies are left in the staff areas and staff are free to wear these on their work uniform. We usually also have volunteers that are arranged by head office standing by the entrance offering poppies to our customers. I don't see why Morrisons are kicking up such a fuss. I does more harm to their brand by being so anal about this uniform rule rather than supporting staff in wearing a poppy for a few weeks a year.

You do know that Remembrance Day is in November? And that it is now May?

lawstudent

Yes I have just realised reading previous posts there is some background to this which isn't posted on the thread regarding the recent murder of a soldier in Woolwich.

If I wore a poppy to work tomorrow no one would bat an eyelid, I might get a few questions regarding why but thats about it. Maybe its just my store but as long as you are not taking the pi$$ there is no issue in respect of uniform rules. For example we have a lot of charity collectiors in and staff regularly pin cancer research ribbons or NSPCC stickers on their uniform.

Tropez

It was a reasonable request by the store managers.

The employees belligerence in this matter is the real issue. Not only did he refuse to remove the item but then he posts his disciplinary notification on the Internet, something that is most probably in violation of his employment contract.

Clearly he simply wishes to be fired.

bluenoseam

ariba10 wrote: »

Have a look at this.

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=yNMHOc9xfKQ&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DyNMHOc9xfKQ

Have a look at the ground, do so while getting off your high horse and forgetting that sentiment is all well and good, but as I pointed out, the workplace is for WORK. It is not a place to express ones personal opinions (unless you happen to be in the business whereby your opinion matters) and the poppy is such an expression.

Further to that as I pointed out, there is a uniform policy, that's not there for s**ts and giggles, it's there so as to ensure a presentable front for the business. Now it's easy to forget that when "sentiment" reigns over "sense", but the truth is it's there in black & white and is NOT something which can be argued about. Wearing the poppy contravenes this particular document, now what you or anyone else thinks of that is unimportant - here's the only part that actually counts, IT IS AGAINST UNIFORM POLICY. That's the bit that can get your sorry behind fired and well, sentiment, no matter how noble does not pay the bills and sentiment is no counter for the base fact.

I know full well what the Poppy stands for, I'm well aware of the sacrifice of soldiers, however here's another nugget of sense for you - they sign up to be a soldier knowing full well what it entails. There is a prescribed day set aside for the public show of gratitude towards the sacrifice made by members of the armed forces - that's the point in time whereby companies relax their uniform policies because well, the daily fail handwringing society demands it. Outside that if you want to remember the sacrifice made by soldiers then please, feel free to do so, but there is no legal obligation anywhere which states you MUST allow anyone to wear a Poppy.

I do not subscribe to the notion that superficial displays of such things are any more or less important at any given time of the year - however it stands to reason that it's a personal statement to make. While you are working you are NOT there to make statements, you're there to do what you're paid to do - which in this case is to work in a shop. I pointed out the base facts in my original post which you appear in some form of blind judgement to ignore, allow me to remind you.

1 - there is a uniform policy in place, which has been intimated to the employee.
2 - their superior pulled them up over a "help for heroes" wristband, they were told this was against uniform policy and to remove it.
3 - they removed offending article.
4 - they were later informed that the poppy badge on their nametag was also against uniform policy & ordered to remove it.
5 - they refused this order, thus voluntarily contravening uniform policy, in the process showing insubordination to their superior.
6 - they have been cited to appear at a disciplinary hearing to discuss NUMEROUS breaches of discipline inclusive of two different breaches of uniform policy, failing to follow a reasonable request & showing disrespect to a superior member of staff.

I would suggest to you that you'll struggle to find any lawyer anywhere which will suggest to you that the employees were in the right here - and for the reasons listed, you'll likely find it extremely easy to sack the staff. Sense should tell you that there is a time and a place for sentiment and in the majority of cases it's on your OWN time in your OWN place - not on WORK time in the WORKplace.

Gingernutty

This wasn't an actual poppy though, this was a cheap looking rubber bangle and a badge pinned to the ID.

If it had been a poppy, temporarily pinned to the uniform around Rememberance Day, I bet there wouldn't have been this fuss.

I know emotions are running high after the murder of Drummer Rigby, but work is one of those places where emotions shouldn't come into it.

Wear what you like outside working hours, but a uniform is a uniform. Wear it the way you're told to.

lostinrates

As a matter of interest, does any one know what the forces stance on non uniform accessories would have been?

lawstudent

Regardless of what some people have said I think this is a really stupid decision on behalf of Morrisons. If one of the papers (particularly the Mail or Sun) picks up on this they are going to have a field day.

Pollycat

Tropez wrote: »

It was a reasonable request by the store managers.

The employees belligerence in this matter is the real issue. Not only did he refuse to remove the item but then he posts his disciplinary notification on the Internet, something that is most probably in violation of his employment contract.

Clearly he simply wishes to be fired.

And not only did he/she again refuse to remove the poppy after being asked to do so a second time by a more senior member of staff, he/she then proceeded to put a charity wristband back on that he/she had been asked to remove earlier.

A clear case of trying to make a statement for some reason that isn't clear to me.

If this employee had complied with the request, then posted on here about it, I might have had more sympathy.
Instead, I think he/she comes across as an arrogant to**er.

duchy

Had this happened in November I'd have some sympathy with the Morrison's employee...... well actually until the point they put the bracelet back on anyway. At that point I decided they were an idiot and deserved everything they got.

I would think less of Morrisons and would actively avoid using them if the poppy is banned in November ......but May is entirely different and smacks of someone trying to push limits -so give em their P45.