Rally at Asda after employee is sacked

Published Sunday, 18 July 2010

Around 100 people have protested outside a supermarket in north Belfast after a worker was sacked for alleged comments he made about the 'Sash.'

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Asda rally ongoing
Protestors gather

It is the third day in a row that protests have been held at the premises on the Shore Road.

The man was dismissed after claims he said two people, who were playing music in the company car park, should play the Sash instead.

The Sash is a popular loyalist song and played at many parades over 12 July.

Former PUP member and community representative Billy Hutchinson was at the rally.

"We just think on this occasion it is political correctness gone mad," he said.

"We are supposed to live in a tolerant society and the comment wasn't made to anyone in particular and our understanding is the people who are reporting this it wasn't said to them, they overheard it.

"We don't believe ASDA can act on anything that was overheard we don't believe they can act on any anonymous calls or letters."

We are asking them to re-think their position", he added.

A spokesperson for Asda said it did not comment on individual cases.

She said the supermarket operated a formal process including a right of appeal.

Comments

95 Comments

John in Belfast wrote (665 days ago):

This is an absolute disgrace.A double murderer gets his job back while thousands of us decent law abiding citizens cant get work.Maybe i should murder some1 so im guaranteed a job in the future and support by some scummy community.Its ridiculous,as an Atheist this country is a joke.Your only earn respect if you have blood on your hands!If I made a comment about a female's body part,that would be considered sexual harassment and I would get disciplined or sacked.The same should happen to him.

BIG ERNEST in east antrim wrote (671 days ago):

tommy atkins ; tommy you talk of those out supporting a convicted killer , yet he has done his time , how about the many thousands that vote for convicted killers ? are they not worse ?

Harry in Shore Rd wrote (672 days ago):

Claude, what would you rather happen to this man?? He served his time for an awful crime and then kept his head down and was everyone favourite checkout assistant until you hear what he's done in the past. Would you rather claim unemployment benefits like over half the population in downpatrick and him also become a burden on society !! Everyone makes mistakes, his was a big one, but 30 years ago this country was a completely different place not that this justifies it but how many of you order a taxi and the driver also has a criminal background, how many of you drink in bars at the weekend were you know that the bouncers have also done more bird than Bill Oddy. Theres hundreds of ex criminals amongst us so this man should not be singled out of this group because of 1 throw away remark which was overheard!!!

ASDA EMPLOYEE in CAstlewellan wrote (673 days ago):

As a manager in an Asda store in County Down i believe this man should never been allowed to work for Asda to begin with and been stepped down over said comments.. its unbelievable that he was reinstated tho i believe we may not of heard the end of this as given recent reports and the circumstances of the event im sure head office will look seriously at the damaged image the store in Shore road has inflicted the environment now created and the reports from instore.. it could still be highly likely possible heads could roll still and not just the employee involved! its wonderful how the low life of Northern Ireland from both sides still make bigger waves than 95% of the decent people.. how the world must laugh

Tommy Atkins in London England wrote (673 days ago):

This forum displays the gutter ignorance hypocrisy and bigotry of N Ireland people. These people out protesting in support of a convicted murderer. Well i suppose it gives the rest of the world something to laugh at.

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