Morrisons suspends staff for wearing a Poppy

browneyedbazzi

Am I the only one who thinks that this particular employee is probably a bit of a difficult one and the incident with the poppy may well be the last straw rather than an isolated event?

I also agree with other posters that work is work and if your employer has a uniform/dress policy you need to follow it....to not follow it then directly refuse to do so when reminded by a manager is not the behaviour of a good employee (and more likely the behaviour of an ex-employee!).

alleycat`

lostinrates wrote: »

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

Probably depends on where the poppy was made.
The DM is all uptight about where the kit is manufactured at the moment....

For what it's worth i think both groups are going to come out of this not looking great.

Making political statements at work isn't usually the best idea but equally it could have been dealt with in a, don't wear it again tomorrow, you've made your point kind of way.

Instead both parties have escalated it to a ridiculous position that is out of proportion to what it was.

Edit:- Anyone see the papers having a bleeding heart story about persecuted for showing support for "our boys" in the near future?

Pollycat

browneyedbazzi wrote: »

Am I the only one who thinks that this particular employee is probably a bit of a difficult one and the incident with the poppy may well be the last straw rather than an isolated event?

No, you're not the only one who thinks that.

Tropez

browneyedbazzi wrote: »

Am I the only one who thinks that this particular employee is probably a bit of a difficult one and the incident with the poppy may well be the last straw rather than an isolated event?

I agree. I can see this person having something of a victim complex, perhaps he has a Balotelli-style shirt somewhere with "Why always me?" written on it?

It is my view that anyone who risks getting fired from a job over such a non-issue as this and is petulant enough to behave in such a manner is likely a very trying individual to work with.

andygb

Pollycat wrote: »

I think you should remove the names of the 5 members of staff referred to in the letter in the link.

I would be bloody furious if a letter relating to my job (e.g. store personal manager) and showing my name was posted on a public forum.

Quite agree, this is totally out of order IMO. The members of staff mentioned will be carrying out company policy whether we agree with it or not, and they deserve the same right to privacy as anyone else.

Slowhand

Who 'leaked' the letter?

Slowhand

MSE need to remove the link to the letter ASAP.

Tropez

Perhaps it is worth mentioning that Morrison's official response to the matter references that their uniform policy exists to prevent objects from falling into or otherwise contaminating food being prepared in the store.

Adam Austin, the individual at the centre of this (and his name is printed in The Independent so we'll assume he has no problem with being named) is partly employed in - you guessed it - food preparation areas.

So he has even less ground to stand on. Of course, now Louise Mensch is rallying her posse of clowns to his cause he'll be made out to be a hero, somehow.

peachyprice

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.

Probably because it's May now, not November.

Pollycat

I've seen the report in the Huffington Post and even they have printed the suspension letter complete with Morrison employee names. :eek:

The headline says:

Morrisons Worker Adam Austin Suspended For Wearing Lee Rigby Tribute Poppy

but it wasn't a Lee Rigby tribute poppy, was it?

It was a 2012 Remembrance poppy that he decided was a tribute to the soldier sadly murdered last week.

Apparently Morrisons have revised their stance on staff in non-food areas not being allowed to wear registered charity wristbands.

I wonder what the replies would have been if someone posted "I found a 2012 Remembrance poppy badge in my Morrison's granary loaf"?