Adam Austin has said he is disappointed and partly furious with suspension Staff prohibited from wearing extra items to stop them falling into food Supermarket has now changed its guidelines following the suspension Mr Austin remains suspended until meeting with management on Friday By Inderdeep Bains for the Daily Mail Published: 10:34 EST, 28 May 2013 | Updated: 17:33 EST, 27 October 2014 Adam Austin was suspended from his job at Morrisons after he refused to take off a Help for Heroes bracelet and a poppy Adam Austin was suspended from his job at Morrisons after he refused to take off a Help for Heroes bracelet and a poppy Morrisons has sparked outrage by suspending a checkout assistant for wearing a Help for Heroes wristband and poppy badge in tribute to murdered soldier Lee Rigby. Father-of-two Adam Austin was escorted off the supermarket’s premises and told he faced disciplinary action after he refused to remove the items. The 28-year-old said he was left feeling embarrassed and angry by the incident, adding: ‘I was disappointed and partly furious. I have got friends in the Army and friends who have been in the Army. I wore them out of respect.’ Mr Austin, who has worked at the Morrisons branch in Portsmouth, Hampshire, for 19 months, posted a picture of his disciplinary letter alongside his badge and band on Facebook. The post quickly went viral and sparked an angry backlash against Morrisons, with many Facebook and Twitter users calling for a boycott of the store and branding it a ‘disgrace’ and ‘disgusting’. Speaking at the Portsmouth home he shares with partner Susan Saunders and their two sons, Mr Austin said he had wanted to show support for Drummer Rigby’s family. He said he was stunned when his managers asked him to remove the wristband and a small metal poppy because they did not adhere to the company’s dress code. He said: ‘I had been wearing the poppy all week and no one had said anything. When my bosses noticed it they told me to take it off. The check-out manager asked me to take my band off in front of customers. I was fuming. I was then removed from my check-out and I was told I was not allowed to wear it. Mr Austin refused to take off the poppy badge after he was told it was not part of the Morrisons staff dress standards Letter sent to Mr Austin The second page of the letter sent to Mr Austin Mr Austin was sent this letter after he was suspended from his job at Morrisons for refusing to remove the poppy badge and his Help for Heroes bracelet He said: ‘I am a patriotic person and I believe in our soldiers and what they do for our country. The store manager asked if it was worth losing my job over. ‘I then got escorted off the building by the manager. It was so embarrassing.’ The disciplinary letter, which forbids Mr Austin from attending work or contacting his colleagues, summons him to a disciplinary hearing on Friday where he is expected to learn his fate. A Morrisons spokesman said the company had reviewed its guidelines since the online backlash and had decided to allow staff in non-food preparation areas to wear a registered charity wristband. Mr Austin has been suspended from the Morrisons store in Portsmouth following the incident He said: ‘We understand it is important for many people to show support for our Armed Forces. Colleagues working in non-fresh food preparation food areas will now be permitted to wear a registered charity wristband.’ How this applies to Mr Austin is unclear, as he is employed in a fresh food preparation area as well as at the checkouts. Morrisons said Mr Austin remained suspended pending the outcome of Friday’s disciplinary hearing. Former Tory MP Louise Mensch wrote on Twitter: ‘Hey, @Morrisons, you are a disgrace suspending a staffer for wearing a poppy. Boycott Morrisons.’ Shoppers flooded the store’s Facebook page with angry comments. One user, Michael Smith, wrote: ‘I am totally disgusted with Morrisons’ attitude. I won’t shop at Morrisons any more.’ Another post from Sue Fenney read: ‘Disgraceful action against an employee for wearing a poppy. Welcome to Broken Britain.’ Mr Austin said he was wearing the bracelet and the poppy in honour of Drummer Lee Rigby Read more: dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2332170/Adam-Austin-Morrisons-worker-suspended-work-refusing-poppy-pin-badge-memory-murdered-soldier-Lee-Rigby.html#ixzz3HXJd9HSX
Posted on: Wed, 29 Oct 2014 12:31:29 +0000
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