A couple of years or so ago I was accused of been a racist, here are the facts.
Where I work we had a Muslim worker who asked for time off work during one of their religeous festivals. Fair enough I dont have a problem with that and the company let him.
Now let me explain our process is a continuous Fermentation process and we have to work 24hours, 365 days per year. Ok we operate weekends and out of ours with a skeletan shift team.
Why was I accused of been racist because I suggested the muslim worker did the Christmas shift to allow somebody else to have the time off with their children. The muslim insisted he had christmas off.
What do you think ?
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7 comments:
Am I the first to approach this "touchy" topic?
I don't think what you suggested was racist in the least. You understood/honored your co-workers request for time off during his holiday. And then, out of fairness and in the spirit of mutual give-and-take, suggested an offering from him in kind. You all worked during his holiday; why not he work during a holiday important to someone else?
Thing is, you can't FORCE him to compromise, or want to share time off. And sometimes, I think just because someone else suggests something, people automatically dig in their heels and want to say no.
But calling you racist because of your suggestion, I think, seems out of line.
Mo,
It looks like your the only one to touch this subject.
Thanks for the comments they are appreciated a lot.
I would never consider myself racist, I just try to treat all people the same. I firmly believe there are good and bad in all people irrespective of background.
I think anyone irrespective of race who really knows me would agree.
This is a tough one. I think the 'proper' thing to do is to request a volunteer and if no one is up for it, then you can use seniority, random selection, whoever had it off last time, etc. Just because someone may not worship a particular holiday should not be considered when scheduling. One example where I had this was at my old job, all the people with kids wanted thanksgiving off. So, as a single gal, I was told, You don't mind working, since you don't have a family, right? Well, that may have been true, but I still deserve the day off just as much as anybody else, right?
I need to point out this incident was a couple of years ago and shifts are rostered so all shift workers take their turn.
The person concerned wasn't in my department but sort of took offense when I made my suggestion.
I was only trying to be logical.
Personally I make myself available over the Christmas period as my assistant engineer has a young child and I think its fair he has it off with his family.
I don't get paid but get time off later, that suits me for my vacations.
First, we've already established from your previous post, I have a big mouth (hee hee).
Secondly - you can please some of the people some of the time but you can't please all of the people all of the time. So, please those you want to and screw the others.
If trying to treat everyone the same is being a racist then I'm Her Majesty the Queen!
I think that one of the biggest problems in the UK today is that folk are not treated equally, or more importantly, are not PERCIEVED to be treated the same. Especially with the state help immigrants seem to get when they come to this country. I'm not against immigration, this country has massively benefitted from it. But once a person comes to this country they should become the same as any other Brit.
Or am I naive?
Rachel,
I have to dissagree with your first comment. I am really pleased you contribute so much, I love your input (and all the others). Without ever meeting you (yet) my opinion is you are the sort of person I would like a lot.
I like your second point though, oops my mistake I thought you said screw the people you like (add evil Mick laugh here).
Airliebird,
I couldn't agree more.
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