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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be so angry about this...

30 replies

Piemother · 23/03/2013 19:17

I need to get this off my chest before I burst a blood vessel.

I have just been in my local tesco express. While I was queuing I noticed a poster for a fund raising campaign for a child who has a life threatening disease. I do not personally know the family but most of my friends do so I will rant here and not upset them unduly. The cashier who served me notice I was looking at the poster and commenter how sad the situation was and how she had been told some details of the child/illness. I replied how terrible it was that the family had to ask for money to save their child and what an awful ordeal/task that was. At this point the man in the next till cut in and said 'they are the wrong nationality that's why!' I was a but confused and replied that yes, the treatment required is only available abroad then he said 'no no the nhs would do it for that kid if he was foreign' then he ranted at length along those lines. I am fuming. What he did, whilst at work, was to use the plight of a sick child to justify a racist/xenophobic tirade to total strangers. I told him he was completely wrong and left but I'm just fuming.
I am thinking I will make a serious complaint about this. The xenophobia is one thing but using the child's campaifn as a vessel for his bile seemed so much worse.

What does mn think?

OP posts:
FutTheShuckUp · 23/03/2013 19:22

Complain to management, not on at all

VBisme · 23/03/2013 19:22

I'd complain about him, that's completely unacceptable, why the hell should customers be subjected to his vile and ignorant opinions.

ErikNorseman · 23/03/2013 19:23

He was an employee? Then yes, by all means, write to the manager. What a dick.

Piemother · 23/03/2013 19:34

Thank you...I did briefly think am I just being daft and over sensitive. Clearly I am not Hmm

OP posts:
catgirl1976 · 23/03/2013 19:36

Yup complain. YANBU

flippinada · 23/03/2013 19:39

If he was a customer there's nothing you could do but as he's an employee I would certainly complain. Twat.

No doubt someone will be along shortly to start lecturing on freedom of speech and how he's entitled to his horrible opinion.

hopefloats · 23/03/2013 19:40

We live in a free country. He is allowed to voice his opinions, however unsavoury they may be.

Piemother · 23/03/2013 19:42

He was the cashier on the next till. I don't know who I could complain to if he was a customer!

OP posts:
RandomMess · 23/03/2013 19:43

Yes complain at work he needs to keep his opinions to himself

catgirl1976 · 23/03/2013 19:43

We live in a free country. He is allowed to voice his opinions, however unsavoury they may be.

True. But not whilst wearing I uniform of a company who he therefore represents. In the pub he can, but not at work.

IneedAsockamnesty · 23/03/2013 19:43

Complain.

Your much more restrained than I am as I would have shouted loudly "omg that's so racist I'm shocked staff here are allowed to do that" then walked off without my shopping and told customer services exactly why I didn't feel I could spend my money there.

IneedAsockamnesty · 23/03/2013 19:45

We live in a free country. He is allowed to voice his opinions, however unsavoury they may be.

Actually we don't, having racist rants in public is a crime.

Maggie111 · 23/03/2013 19:47

Ooh yes I'd complain - he shouldn't be on a till spouting such rubbish. Fair enough there's little you can do hearing a customer wittering on - but he really isn't allowed to do that at work to customers!

Piemother · 23/03/2013 19:47

I had dd2 in her sling. I don't like shouting when I have the dc with me but you're right I should have. It's only an express stuck to a petrol station - had it been a bigger branch I would have been on the war path to a manager. I will be writing an email in cardboard shortly.

OP posts:
flippinada · 23/03/2013 19:47

And as if by magic....

I doubt Tesco or whoever it was want their customers to be assailed by xenophobic rants while going about their daily business. You're free to hold whatever opinions you like in private.

Anyway OP yanbu.

Piemother · 23/03/2013 19:49

Right you are. Does anyone know the specific legislation about this I can quote? Tia

OP posts:
AgentProvocateur · 23/03/2013 19:49

I'd have said something to him at the time. Not sure I'd want to be responsible for someone potentially losing their job by complaining.

thewhistler · 23/03/2013 19:51

Agree with flip.

IneedAsockamnesty · 23/03/2013 19:51

Its a public order offence,but I can't remember exactly what section.

Piemother · 23/03/2013 19:52

That's going through my mind too but at the same time he is an adult and responsible for his own behaviour.

OP posts:
flippinada · 23/03/2013 19:53

I'm sure he wouldn't lose his job, unless of course he has form for this and it's a last straw type of thing.

More likely to be put on a training course, I would have thought, or removed from dealing with the public.

IneedAsockamnesty · 23/03/2013 19:54

That would probably teach him something worthwhile

EduCated · 23/03/2013 19:55

OP, you wouldn't be responsible for him losing his job, his xenophobic bile would be.

PimpMyHippo · 23/03/2013 19:56

Haha flippinada I half thought the "it's a free country" comment was you under a namechange to prove your own point, it was so perfectly timed! Grin

How helpful of him to have his little rant at work, if he'd just been a member of the public you'd have nowhere to take a complaint, but as he's so kindly given you the opportunity you should definitely take it! If only all racist twats would be so considerate...

flippinada · 23/03/2013 19:58

Pimp it wasn't me, honest. Maybe they just read my comment and typed super quick!

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