M&S cashiers can refuse to handle pork and alcohol

[HermioneWeasley]

www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/10532782/Muslim-staff-at-Marks-and-Spencer-can-refuse-to-sell-alcohol-and-pork.html

I would be extremely annoyed at being held up by someone refusing to "handle" alcohol and pork. After all, the stuff is either in bottles or cellophane so it's not coming into direct contact.

Personally, I wouldn't have this policy, but if m&S think it's reasonable to refuse, why not put employees who object in a different part of the store, instead of inconveniencing customers?

And before cries of racism and Islamaphobia start, my family are Muslim (though I am not) and would have no problem with putting bottles and packs through a checkout.

As long as they put the sign up saying you'll have to go through another till as well so customer can choose if they want to go through with their goods twice. I think there are many foods with pork and muslim non kosher (insert muslim equivalent) products.

Interesting precedent. What about Vegetarians and people who abhor damage caused by fags and booze. Also those who don't support cruel dairy industry. Maybe equality issues here.

There was a strike in Ireland in the 80's I think, when workers at Dunnes supermarket refused to handle south african oranges 'cos of apartheid. Their trade union had anti apartheid stance though and supported them I think.

If you work in a supermarket or any shop for that matter, you should sell all products. You don't like it, do a different job.

Fucking ludicrous.

In Indonesia (90% Muslim), till staff in supermarkets have to handle both alcohol and pork (though the pork is usually stored in special freezers).

If you don't want to handle booze/meat, don't work in a supermarket.

It's offensive to people buying legal, everyday items, such as wine or pork, to be told they are some sort filthy unclean beast, and they should go and use a different till. I would feel uncomfortable going through such a till, even if I didn't have any 'unclean' items, because you'd wonder what else you were being judged for by a person with such attitudes. Are my clothes immodest? Should I be wearing a niqab to shop here?

Decisions such as these stoke prejudice + violence against the vast majority of sane, reasonable Muslims, and the (presumably non-Muslim) people making them have blood on their hands as far as I am concerned.

If this is the case and they did as clawdius suggested re the sign, it would be a fast track to the courts and humiliation at work.

But it does make you wonder of M&S (struggling as they are the make a profit) will be stopping advertising the Sunday meal with alcohol for £10

The easiest thing is to just go to another shop in the first place. Then M&S can do anything they like in an empty store.

Sainsbury’s said it had issued official guidelines that stated there was no reason why staff who did not drink alcohol or eat pork for religious reasons could not handle the goods.

Tesco said it treated each case on its merits, but said it “made no sense” to employ staff on a till who refused to touch certain items for religious reasons.

I'm 100% with Aga. Stupid policies like this fuel hatred of Muslims.

I would offer to wave the pork or wine in front of the barcode scanner for them, and put it straight into a bag. And if that wasn't possible, I would wait patiently and make polite conversation.

If someone has genuine reasons for not wanting to handle wine or pork, I am not going to make them feel bad for their beliefs, nor am I going to criticise their bosses for being accomodating.

SDT I don't think that will work because they are still selling it to you.

If you finally get to the front of the checkout and are told they won't serve you then you simply join another queue and another until you find one that will.

I think it's stupid and as others have suggested could fuel hatred. I'd be livid to queue up only to be told I need to go and queue somewhere else to pay for certain items.

I think this is a complete own goal by M&S.

I think this is potentially opening a can or worms because you could get any member of staff saying they couldn't handle products because of religious, cultural or medical reasons.

How about all the things that contain pork gelatine, like the sweets? Will they refuse to handle those as well I wonder?

Good point. I guess you will just have to go through your trolley with them and discuss each item.

I can remember a sainsburys cashier who put their hand in a bag to swipe my pork products. I was very confused

If you work in a supermarket then you are, whatever your job, condoning and assisting in the sale of alcohol, pork and indeed fags which are also often avoided by observant Muslims.

The only honest policy is to get a job somewhere else. Pretending its nothing to do with you once it gets to the checkout and making some poor person queue twice is just dishonest and petty.

Or, if its literally about touching the stuff, wear gloves.

thank fuck I don't shop at M&S.

I do agree with being able to choose to not work on a Sunday or Saturday for religious reasons without being discriminated against.

and what about brandy butter? or leather items? or a card with a piggy on it?

I think I've just found a new hobby.
I'll be at the till end observing the rage

Not sure I do. I think that if you aren't prepared to work on weekends, you need to find a suitable job. Otherwise, your religious practice places an unfair burden on the people who have to cover for you.

I had this with a consultant at hospital because I had a termination in my late teens and had renal failure and termination was only choice. Ffwd 15 years and I had a malignancy and he refused to see me when my consultant was away and time was of the essence. Complex

If people are unwilling to do the job they've applied for in all its facets, then they shouldn't be given the job. It's as simple as that. Should they become unwilling to do certain aspects of the job (as long they are legal), then they should be removed or remove themselves.

Similarly I don't think that doctors should refuse to administer certain (legal) treatments because of their beliefs. If you work for an employer that sanctions the administration of certain things that you disagree with, then you either button your lip or you leave the job. Every job has its downsides.

It depends with doctors, some doctors have been in the profession for decades, and may have entered the profession decades ago to deliver babies, only to find over time that they were asked to perform abortions because of changes in service.

Also you can't compare doctors, who are highly skilled professionals, with till staff.

In any case if you are told upfront about the issues, be they pork or abortions, you have the choice whether to take the job.

Either that, in the case of a doctor, you work yourself into a specialism where you will never ever have to prescribe the MAP or a termination- eg geriatrics or cardiology or any number of specialisms where no-one will come to you in a time of crisis for a treatment that is potentially against your personal beliefs.

I don't think it is a problem, where the adjustment the person wants is minor. So, for instance, asking to pray during work is OK, IMHO, as long as you put the time back later just. If you had gone for a fag break. But if you work on the tills, then serving people is pretty much core to your job. So it is very cynical to get such a job, take the money and then play the religious card.