Muslim Chef Refused to Cook Pork

[Strzelecki]

Muslim chef refused to cook pork

A MUSLIM catering manager in Britain refused to cook sausages and bacon because he feared he would be splashed with pork fat, he told an industrial tribunal overnight, alleging religious discrimination.

Hasanali Khoja, 60, from London, said he felt he was at risk of contact with pork products even if he wore gloves and used tongs to cook.

Mr Khoja, who claims he was discriminated against due to his Islamic faith, also alleges that in a meeting to resolve the situation, a human resources manager pulled faces and made racist gestures.

He said he had raised his objections to handling pork at his interview for a senior catering manager job with London's Metropolitan Police Service, but had been assured he would not have to handle food as it was a supervisory role.

Mr Khoja got the job but when he started work at a police training centre in 2005, he was found to lack the required level of computer skills and later that year he accepted a more junior job at the same site.

His objections to touching pork were respected in that job, but Mr Khoja claimed that when he was transferred to a kitchen at London's Heathrow airport in 2007 he was told he had to prepare, cook and serve all food products.

When he called a meeting to discuss his objections, he said a human resources manager told him he could lose his job if he failed to follow instructions and then made "racist gestures".

"I was very humiliated and stressed out and was unable to continue," he said.

Mr Khoja told the tribunal in Watford, north of London, that he refused to handle pork products even if protective clothing and implements were provided.

"The reason for this refusal is because of the fact it is well known that if you are cooking bacon or sausages, which I was asked to do, I was exposed to splash and contact with pork which I object to," he said.

"Gloves and tongs would not make any difference."

Mr Khoja said his doctor advised him to stay off work because the stress of the situation was adversely affecting his blood pressure.

"I was off sick due to stress for about six months," he said.

Mr Khoja, who is now happily employed in another part of the Metropolitan Police catering structure, alleges racial discrimination, religious discrimination and unlawful deduction of wages. The hearing continues.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574...-23109,00.html

[Joe98]

alleges racial discrimination, religious discrimination.......

Discrimination is where some people are treated differently to other people.

If all employees in the area are asked to cook pork there is no discrimination.

Rather, he is asking to be discriminated against. He is asking to be treated differently to other people.-

[جوري]

actually discrimination means: Unfair treatment of a person or group on the basis of prejudice..
the prejudice here is against his religion!

all the best

[Joe98]

....the prejudice here is against his religion!

So, according to you, this man was asked to cook pork but the non muslims, working in the same area, were not asked to cook pork.

-

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[Gator]

Discrimination is where some people are treated differently to other people.

If all employees in the area are asked to cook pork there is no discrimination.

Rather, he is asking to be discriminated against. He is asking to be treated differently to other people.-

From the little information that is available, it sounds like he stated his inability to handle/prepare pork products and they agreed and hired him.

Once they did that they altered the conditions of his employment by making him prepare pork.

Breach of contract.

Sounds like he's in the right.

[Joe98]

Breach of contract.

Yes I agree ...... which is the point I was coming to.

However he is not claiming breach of contract. He is claiming discrimmination.

-

[جوري]

So, according to you, this man was asked to cook pork but the non muslims, working in the same area, were not asked to cook pork.

-

I don't know anything about other cooks in his area, I haven't read their stories, I have only read his.. try to focus!

all the best

[ragdollcat1982]

I do not know how one can take a job like this and never handle food. If he was told up front that he would have too including pork and took the job than he should have too do what his job requires. It seems here that he was lied too.

[جوري]

I do not know how one can take a job like this and never handle food. If he was told up front that he would have too including pork and took the job than he should have too do what his job requires. It seems here that he was lied too.

the article states:

He said he had raised his objections to handling pork at his interview for a senior catering manager job with London's Metropolitan Police Service, but had been assured he would not have to handle food as it was a supervisory role.

all the best

[Ansariyah]

Good on the bro to keep Faith MashaAllah.

[ragdollcat1982]

the article states:

He said he had raised his objections to handling pork at his interview for a senior catering manager job with London's Metropolitan Police Service, but had been assured he would not have to handle food as it was a supervisory role.

all the best

The man was lied to by his employers. I just cannot imagine being in a supervisory role as a chef and never handling food, excluding pork from the equation. Since he was honest up front about his beliefs it could be a case for religious discrimination. His employers knew about it if it was going to be a problem than they should have not hired him.

[Whatsthepoint]

the article states:

He said he had raised his objections to handling pork at his interview for a senior catering manager job with London's Metropolitan Police Service, but had been assured he would not have to handle food as it was a supervisory role.

all the best

That was his first job. He was later reassigned. He could have quit at that point.

[جوري]

That was his first job. He was later reassigned. He could have quit at that point.

Why should he quit? he made his intentions known with first interview..
people who re-assigned him should use their noodles... if you have certain convictions and you state them in your contract, they should be honored if both parties signed and agreed upon them!

If I agree to a job with a two week all expense paid vacation, then work on some other project, the terms of my contract should be honored no matter what project I am assigned to..

it is common sense!

all the best

[Whatsthepoint]

Why should he quit? he made his intentions known with first interview..
people who re-assigned him should use their noodles... if you have certain convictions and you state them in your contract, they should be honored if both parties signed and agreed upon them!

If I agree to a job with a two week all expense paid vacation, then work on some other project, the terms of my contract should be honored no matter what project I am assigned to..

it is common sense!

all the best

That epends whether his second job went by the same contract (eventhough his prefrences probably weren't mentioned there), or was he fired from the first job and given the second as a replacement.

[جوري]

That epends whether his second job went by the same contract (eventhough his prefrences probably weren't mentioned there), or was he fired from the first job and given the second as a replacement.

the above states : 'he was transferred'

now that is all we have to go on, a transfer usually denotes under the same contract.

all the best

[Whatsthepoint]

the above states : 'he was transferred'

now that is all we have to go on, a transfer usually denotes under the same contract.

all the best

Now the question is whether his feelins for pork were written in his contract or was it a mere courtesy by his former managers. Even if this isn't the case he can still win it though, but he shouldn't have filed it under reilgious discrimination.

[aadil77]

Good on the bro to keep Faith MashaAllah.

Its kind of an awkward situation because he would also be told to handle other haraam meats, which you can't do much about unless you leave the job

[Hamayun]

I am neutral on this one...

If I was asked to cook pork I would resign and find another job.

I wouldn't expect everyone change their diet because of my religion. :confused:

If the job goes against your faith... quit the job and get a job that is Halal. Simple...

[memories]

Muslim chef refused to cook pork

A MUSLIM catering manager in Britain refused to cook sausages and bacon because he feared he would be splashed with pork fat, he told an industrial tribunal overnight, alleging religious discrimination.

Hasanali Khoja, 60, from London, said he felt he was at risk of contact with pork products even if he wore gloves and used tongs to cook.

Mr Khoja, who claims he was discriminated against due to his Islamic faith, also alleges that in a meeting to resolve the situation, a human resources manager pulled faces and made racist gestures.

He said he had raised his objections to handling pork at his interview for a senior catering manager job with London's Metropolitan Police Service, but had been assured he would not have to handle food as it was a supervisory role.

Mr Khoja got the job but when he started work at a police training centre in 2005, he was found to lack the required level of computer skills and later that year he accepted a more junior job at the same site.

His objections to touching pork were respected in that job, but Mr Khoja claimed that when he was transferred to a kitchen at London's Heathrow airport in 2007 he was told he had to prepare, cook and serve all food products.

When he called a meeting to discuss his objections, he said a human resources manager told him he could lose his job if he failed to follow instructions and then made "racist gestures".

"I was very humiliated and stressed out and was unable to continue," he said.

Mr Khoja told the tribunal in Watford, north of London, that he refused to handle pork products even if protective clothing and implements were provided.

"The reason for this refusal is because of the fact it is well known that if you are cooking bacon or sausages, which I was asked to do, I was exposed to splash and contact with pork which I object to," he said.

"Gloves and tongs would not make any difference."

Mr Khoja said his doctor advised him to stay off work because the stress of the situation was adversely affecting his blood pressure.

"I was off sick due to stress for about six months," he said.

Mr Khoja, who is now happily employed in another part of the Metropolitan Police catering structure, alleges racial discrimination, religious discrimination and unlawful deduction of wages. The hearing continues.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574...-23109,00.html

then he should not cook pork if it interferes with his beleifs and not shove it down everyones throats.
he should go vegetarian or something... when you work in a restaurant or even in a pork cooking factory you have to be expected to trifle with some pork, wich after all is a animal wich nearly the whole worlds eats without being striken down by god.talk about moderation here

no offence to him or his beleifs
regards

[جوري]

Now the question is whether his feelins for pork were written in his contract or was it a mere courtesy by his former managers. Even if this isn't the case he can still win it though, but he shouldn't have filed it under reilgious discrimination.

what else could he file it under?
either way it doesn't matter.. I'll have to agree with some of the other Muslim members who have pointed out, he should have found some other means to work as a chef.. I understand these are tough economic times and many are just happy to simply have a job -- but I don't believe that chefs would ever be out of work, people are never going to stop eating and there is no shortage of novelty restaurants where swine doesn't have to be king or play any role on the menu!

all the best

[BoredAgnostic]

A MUSLIM catering manager in Britain refused to cook sausages and bacon because he feared he would be splashed with pork fat, he told an industrial tribunal overnight, alleging religious discrimination.


Its haram to be splashed/come in contact with pork fat?


I could understand cooking/serving pork would be haram since you would be technically helping the customer sin.

[czgibson]

Greetings,

The guy seems to have suffered a raw deal, and I think he can fairly claim discrimination against his employers. Muslims don't want to work with pork, everyone knows that and it shouldn't be a big deal. If he's in a kitchen where there's pork being prepared and he doesn't want to be a part of it for a reason that he believes is very important, then his employers should get him to chop vegetables or something instead - simple.

It's worth pointing out, though, that since his grievance is with the employers at Heathrow airport, not the Police, the fact that he menioned this at the Police interview is probably irrelevant.

Peace

[north_malaysian]

maybe he should find a job as a chef in the Gulf or Malaysia...

[Muezzin]

Discrimination is where some people are treated differently to other people.

If all employees in the area are asked to cook pork there is no discrimination.

Rather, he is asking to be discriminated against. He is asking to be treated differently to other people.-

Because having a human resources manager make racist gestures at you is completely acceptable and not discrimination in any way.

Anyway, under British law, this treatment does constitute discrimination. It's good that Mr Khoja is employed elsewhere now.

Now the question is whether his feelins for pork were written in his contract or was it a mere courtesy by his former managers. Even if this isn't the case he can still win it though, but he shouldn't have filed it under reilgious discrimination.

He filed it under 'racial discrimination, religious discrimination and unlawful deduction of wages'.

I see your point, but it's just the way it works - if you're going to sue someone, you might as well sue under every possible head, so that you're more likely to be compensated under at least one of those heads.

I am neutral on this one...

If I was asked to cook pork I would resign and find another job.

And this is the elephant in the room.

[Suomipoika]

Greetings,

The guy seems to have suffered a raw deal, and I think he can fairly claim discrimination against his employers. Muslims don't want to work with pork, everyone knows that and it shouldn't be a big deal. If he's in a kitchen where there's pork being prepared and he doesn't want to be a part of it for a reason that he believes is very important, then his employers should get him to chop vegetables or something instead - simple.

It's worth pointing out, though, that since his grievance is with the employers at Heathrow airport, not the Police, the fact that he menioned this at the Police interview is probably irrelevant.

Peace

Muslims grow/sell (and probably even cook) piqs for tourist consuption in some muslim countries. There are plenty of restaurants and pizzerias owned/operated by immigrants from muslim countries that serve pork. Im not entirely sure it is quite that clear that muslims wont touch piqs/pork.

---

With the age racism that is going on along with the racism against muslims, the fact that this catering company hired and didn't fire almost a 60-year-old muslim that later proved to be unqualified for his management job but instead offered him something else speaks volumes about them.

The article leaves too much unclear to really know if he was discriminated. Why did he accept the transfer to Heathrow, what was said about his post in there to him before he transferred and should it even be mandatory for the company to say something about him having to work against his religious code if he isn't smart enough to ask it? Does the company have to know what possible moral/religious objections workers have working in certain kinds of enviroments or tasks?

Something Im also wondering, what's the difference between racist and offensive gesture?

[Sampharo]

Muslims grow/sell (and probably even cook) piqs for tourist consuption in some muslim countries. There are plenty of restaurants and pizzerias owned/operated by immigrants from muslim countries that serve pork. Im not entirely sure it is quite that clear that muslims wont touch piqs/pork.

Yes, but they SHOULDN'T. Those who raise and handle pigs, sell and cook pork are non-practicing muslims, and that does not automatically make it ok for all other muslims.

However I do honestly agree with you that it seems very fishy for his employers to be "racist and discriminating" when they provided and kept providing a job to a 60 year old who claimed he can handle a computer but couldn't and was instead offered a lower position. I also agree with the brothers that he should have just left the job and found a new one. Heathrew airport is not going to go Halal or Kosher in spite of itself just because of the chef. Additionally what is the deal with 6 months stress related sick-leave?!?!?! If any of the employees who work with me comes to claim for a time like that for "stress", they better be having a new heart for it AND a bionic arm along with it.