A 25-year-old man who was teased and humiliated for being gay has won a substantial payout from his employers, the Presbyterian Church of Wales, according to a report in the Pink Paper.
Stephen Price’s ordeal began almost as soon as he began working at the Coleg Trefeca centre with 40-year-old Mair Jones, his manager. The 37-bed retreat in Brecon is used by church groups from across the country.
When it first came before the tribunal, a hugely amusing report about the case was written by Andy Armitage, over the the Pink Triangle Trust.
Price told the tribunal:
I was bullied consistently for no other reason than my sexuality, daily having to put up with either being referred to as a poof or having her (Ms Jones) talk of homosexuality or sex.
I was and still am shocked to have been referred to as a poof. I am very proud of both my faith and my sexual orientation.
The tribunal awarded Mr Price ÂŁ11,924 for constructive dismissal and ÂŁ25,000 for injury to his feelings, and said it accepted his testimony about Ms Jones’ conduct.
Employment Judge Dr Rachel Davies said:
He started as a cheerful and enthusiastic young man and there is no evidence of a vindictive side to his nature nor that his claims were fabricated. Mair Jones treated him less favourably than if he were a heterosexual man. She subjected him to considerable harassment.
We have found that Mr Price suffered grotesquely discriminatory conduct on the part of Mair Jones for 10 weeks followed by seriously incompetent discrimination on the part of the church.
Meanwhile, we learn today that the London Borough of Islington has decided it will appeal against an employment tribunal ruling in favour of Lillian Ladele, a registrar whose Christian beliefs led her to refuse to conduct same-sex civil unions.
The Council has issued a statement saying:
The decision was taken after careful consideration of the legal ruling made by the London Central Employment Tribunal.
In agreeing that Ladele had been discriminated against because of her religious convictions, the tribunal may have set a precedent that will allow people with strong religious convictions to opt out of the provision of services to gays, lesbians and bisexuals.
Councillor John Gilbert said:
We believe an important question is at stake and the law must be clarified. Islington Council, like all councils and employers, needs to know whether we can expect employees to provide services to all sections of the community, regardless of who they are.
London MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford, the Liberal Democrat European Justice & Human Rights spokeswoman and former Islington councillor, welcomed the council’s decision to appeal.
The case raises important issues about how second-class treatment of gay people as customers can be avoided if a services employee invokes a religious reason for displaying prejudice.
If the staff ‘conscience clause’ endorsed by this tribunal ruling stands, a coach and horses will be driven through the existing UK and planned EU bans on discrimination.
The Christian Institute, which funded Ladele’s case, is not happy about the challenge, saying on its website:
The CI believes the judgment is correct in law and the Council will struggle to overturn the well-considered ruling.
5 Comments
How about for the next week or two all vegetarians refuse to do anything involving meat, all atheists refuse to deal with religious people, gay people refuse to serve straights, etc. Then when employers are ready to pull their hair out people will catch a clue about how outrageous it is to allow certain individuals to refuse to do their job (and to engage in bigotry) by citing their “deeply held religious beliefs”.
Statement from Federico Podeschi, Managing Director of the LGBT Excellence Centre Wales, who represented Stephen Price.
“We are extremely delighted by the Employment Tribunal’s decision to uphold Stephen’s case. Stephen, as well as many other service users of our Helpline, is a clear example of how you can still be discriminated against simply for being gay.
This case particularly showed that, regardless of whether people want to “come out” or not, simply ignoring that people can be gay, lesbian, or bisexual, as well as heterosexual, is not acceptable. It also shows that once a grievance is raised, employers have a responsibility to investigate it as a potential case of unlawful discrimination or harassment on the grounds of sexual orientation. The Presbyterian Church of Wales failed to both acknowledge Stephen’s claim and to investigate his allegations accurately.
The Employment Tribunal’s judgement described some of the behaviour that Stephen had to endure as grotesque and inappropriate. This should be a reminder that people can still carry prejudice and bias regardless of having a religious background or faith. Discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation is unlawful and must be addressed. It is as simple as that.
We urge people to contact us to tell us their experience and to get advice and representation if they feel that they have been discriminated against because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Only through raising the issues that people still face, can we really raise awareness around what still goes on in the discrimination closet!”
Go Islington Council! Never thought I’d write that…
I agree, Buffy - if the idiotic Ladele ruling were upheld anyone could object to almost anything. The ‘great’ thing about religion is that it removes the need for a rational argument - you can just go all-out for bigotry with a clear conscience. It’s hatred all the way, because God decrees it.
I hope that Ladele woman loses her job, incidentally, as she could easily find a post with the Welsh gay-baiters.
Imagine the furore if some people refused to be married by Ms Ladele because she is black.
Pot, Kettle anyone?
I really hope Islington win this one. The principle is important and can be a matter of life and death - for example pharmacists refusing morning-after birth control on religious grounds.
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