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Second minister to boycott BA in growing row over Christian worker
Last updated at 22:52pm on 21.11.06Two senior ministers have rounded on British Airways as the airline suffered an angry backlash over its refusal to let an employee wear a Christian cross.
Environment Minister Ben Bradshaw said he would now avoid BA flights as a number of MPs joined a growing boycott of the airline.
And Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain called the decision to stop Nadia Eweida wearing a tiny cross on a chain with her uniform "loopy". Mr Hain added: "I am perplexed by the failure to rethink."
The high level criticism from members of the Government piled pressure on BA in the aftermath of its ruling that check-in worker Miss Eweida, who has been off work without pay for two months to fight her case, may not work in public in uniform with her cross on display.
It followed a severe dressing down from Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu, who denounced the decision as "nonsense".
The number two in the Church of England hierarchy accused the airline of ignoring the nation's heritage, saying that British culture, laws and tradition "owe so much to the very same symbol it would ban".
BA's ruling said that 55-year-old Miss Eweida should wear her cross under her uniform, but that Muslim and Sikh colleagues could continue to wear hijabs and turbans because it would not be practical to hide them under a uniform.
BA officials were silent in the face of an unexpectedly harsh response to the decision from politicians of all parties and the prospect that the adverse reaction might lead to a leakage of passengers to rival carriers.
Environment Minister Mr Bradshaw travelled to Brussels for a meeting yesterday - by train.
He praised the boycott of the airline begun by Tory MP Ann Widdecombe and added: "I don't often agree with Ann Widdecombe but on this she is right and BA is wrong. I hope they will see sense and reconsider their policy."
Mr Bradshaw said: "BA's stance has and will affect my choice of airlines." The Northern Ireland Secretary called on the airline to rethink and added: "The rights of those with religious beliefs to express themselves is something we should strongly defend."
Another senior MP, Tory opposition defence spokesman Gerald Howarth, said: "I am incensed by this. I am writing to the airline to express my dismay and I will consider very seriously whether to fly BA in future.
"Firstly, this is not a Muslim country, it is a Christian country, and the idea that somehow it has become unacceptable to demonstrate that faith is bizarre. Secondly, the cross is a modest symbol.
"It is not an aggressive or provocative gesture like a veil or a burqa. It is a quiet demonstration of faith."
Mr Howarth added: "I am going to Washington next month and I am flying Virgin."
Miss Eweida's local MP, Liberal Democrat Vince Cable, has condemned the airline.
Other prominent critics of the decision include Shami Chakrabarti, director of the civil rights group Liberty, and London mayor Ken Livingstone, both of whom said the airline was wrong to suppress an expression of religious belief.
The boycott of BA among MPs was begun by Miss Widdecombe, who opted to take a sleeper train from London to give a speech in Inverness rather than a short BA flight.
It will worry airline chiefs if it encourages tens of thousands of ordinary passengers to follow suit and look for alternatives to BA flights.
Miss Eweida, who now faces the sack from her job, is planning another appeal to the airline. If that fails, she intends to take her employer to a tribunal.
BA's defence of its ruling is that its policy does not ban the cross but 'personal items of jewellery, including crosses may be worn, but underneath the uniform.'
It maintains that 34,000 uniformed staff have accepted the jewellery rule for many years and that 'this is purely a question of practicality. There is no discrimination between faiths whatsoever.'
However Archbishop Sentamu said on Monday: "It is clear Nadia's cross does not form an impediment to her ability to carry out her duties. Under BA's current reasoning, an employee who turned up to work wearing a 3ft-long cross must be allowed to wear it, because to hide such a cross under their uniform would be impractical.
"Yet in Nadia's case, a cross of much less than three inches is deemed a problem."
Yesterday Colin Hart of the Christian Institute think tank said: "If she takes it to court and fights on the issue of the cross I think she will win.
"What the airline says about the cross is preposterous. It is extremely discriminatory. I hope she sues and I hope she wins."
Reader views (15)
If all the 37.3 million people in England and Wales who (voluntarily) stated their religion as 'Christian' in the last national census boycotted BA, I'm sure they'd soon change this ridiculous ruling.
- Ben, London
Good on BA given how organised Christian religions treat many people who they don't approve of, I would wonder if a BA employee with a cross would treat me fairly or not bring their religious prejudices into serving me as a customer. It is inappropriate in the workplace, a cross is a religious, cultural and political symbol and she is wearing it overtly to make a political statement.
- David, London
It's not a muslim country but it's not a christian one either. It's a free one.
Surely the pair of MPs shouldn't have been flying with anyone anyway - Environment Minister flying to Brussels? He should have already been taking the train, or even more environmentally friendly, had a telephone conference. It all leaves more and cheaper seats for the rest of us who are happy to support a company which sticks to it's policies instead of bowing to tabloid pressure. Well done BA.
- Jennifer, Netherlands, ex-UK
Hopefully the Croydon parents who will not let their children visit a mosque will boycott BA who are also not Christian, or so it appears.
- Michael, London
I'm boycotting BA. I hope more people do.
- Paul Jardine, Bromley, Kent
If it were merely a case of this woman wanting to have her symbol with her, it wouldn't matter if the thing was to be under her uniform. But from what she has said, she wears it to proselytize, which might be OK in her own time, but is inappropriate behaviour when working for BA.
She wants to wear it AT people...
- Chris Hughes, Wraysbury, Staines, UK
Since when did we elect members of parliament to express their own personal religious viewpoint, it is their job to represent us and do their duty for the best of the country.
- Adam, Kent
The Ministers are wrong to boycott BA; they should be flying the flag and promoting our national airline. Perhaps they could tell us which airline they will be flying. Air France?
- Dhanraj, Basildon, Essex
Presumably Nadia has been wearing her cross for some years as part of her christian testimony. One wonders why some over zealous BA official suddenly decided to make an issue of it at this particular time. There must be larger issues that BA should invest its customers' cash in resolving rather than persecuting one of its more lowly members of staff.
Isn't this anti-bullying week?
- Eric Westwood, Northampton UK
If all BA employees claiming to be christians turned up for work wearing a cross exactly what do you think BA would do? One thing is for sure, they would not all be suspended. Come on BA employees, get your act together. You hold the answer to this outrageous ruling.
- Phil Johnson, Shrewsbury England
I think it’s very sad how Christians are behaving in a matter that is essentially a workers dispute with her employers. When you take a job you have to abide by the rules of the company. She is right to challenge these rules within the company but those publicity seekers like bishops and government ministers have got it wrong by making it an issue about faiths. They are whipping up race hatred.
They should be speaking up for the suffering men and women in West Bank and Palestine and the poor in the world. This is making capital out of a very grey area. I hope the bishop will be prepared to compensate BA for his misguided call for a boycott as it will have an impact on many innocent workers over Christmas.
- R Singh, London
BA has every right to protect its brand and to refuse to allow employees to add their own adornments to what is a designer uniform. Senior MP's supporting employees to break the rules of any company is equivalent to inciting anarchy and they should think seriously about their comments and actions before making them public.
- M Showler, Mallorca, Spain
Where is the Archbishop of Canterbury. Has he, as head of the Christian Church in England, not got the guts to come out of his Palace and support his second in command - let alone voice HIS views.
- Ronald Elwood, Worthing.
BA should be fair- a small crucifix (a symbol) of ones faith does not deter a person from doing a good job! If turbans and veils are permitted how can they reasonably object to a smaller less visible symbol of one's belief. Disappointed with narrowminded BA.
- Tracy, Yardley, PA, USA
BA have lost the plot! What on earth were they thinking? They should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves. Good thing there are plenty of other airlines to choose from.
- Andy Jones, London
