'I cannot stand white people'
September 21 2009
SA Airways Technical is trying to sweep a racism complaint under the carpet, trade union Solidarity said on Monday.
"A black employee hurled racist remarks at another employee in August this year, saying that he could not stand white people and also could not stand working with white people," said Solidarity spokesman Jaco Kleynhans in a statement.
Solidarity criticised the company's decision not to take disciplinary action against the employee.
The union said last week it had granted the company three days to take "the correct disciplinary action", but the employee in question was only warned about his remarks and management now regarded the issue as concluded.
"These statements were aimed directly and in an insulting and racist manner at the person's white colleague and white people in general... It is nothing less than blatant racism."
Shortly after the incident, the member submitted a grievance to the employer, but the employer decided not to follow the disciplinary procedures, as prescribed for complaints about racist behaviour, the union said.
"According to SAA Technical's disciplinary code, a charge of racism is grounds for immediate suspension, after which the applicable disciplinary action must be taken," the union said.
It said the company earlier indicated that it preferred employing mediation as an alternative to disciplinary action.
"Employees cannot act inconsistently in cases such as this one.
"The disciplinary route simply has to be followed and directives cannot be ignored at will," Solidarity said.
It added that racism was not a mild charge and, therefore, no employer could afford to take it lightly.
"Mild action sends the message to employees that it is acceptable to infringe on the human dignity of others with racist remarks," Kleynhans said.
"Management reiterated to Solidarity that the member is in fact entitled to taking the matter further internally, but this is meaningless," Kleynhans said.
He said the member had already tackled the correct internal procedure, but management did not follow the correct disciplinary route and was now trying to "sweep a serious case of racism under the carpet".
SAA could not be reached immediately for comment. - Sapa
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=15&art_id=nw20090921151434280C649175
I like and I admire his (a black employee) honesty, but I despise his hypocrisy.
If someone cannot stand white people, then one should stop immediately using all the inventions of the White Man.
) expression which basically means something that REALLY sticks to something else. In this case your (blind) loyalty to the ANC
