Thursday, August 11, 2011

Electrician alleges more resistance

COLIN ATKINSON, an electrician who was asked to remove a palm cross from the dashboard of his van by his employers, says that he has been suspended from his job. 

Mr Atkinson, who had displayed the cross in his vehicle for 15 years, was asked by his employers at Wake­field and District Housing Associ­ation (WDH) to remove the cross after a complaint from a tenant. 

After a meeting with his employers, Mr Atkinson was permitted to display the cross in a vertical position rather than flat on the dashboard. 

But the Christian Legal Centre (CLC), which has supported Mr Atkinson in the dispute, said this week that he had been suspended “after being continually harassed since his return”. 

He had suffered “continual problems”, and had “not been allowed to carry out his job properly”.

Mr Atkinson said that his van had been taken away from him, and that he was told to travel by bus. He was moved to an office 16 miles away.

The CLC said that Mr Atkinson had now lodged a grievance against his em­ployers. 

“I have not done any­thing wrong,” Mr Atkinson said. “I just want to return to my normal work­place.” 

A spokesman for WDH said that he could not comment on the situ­ation.