A public sector employee in Manchester has been demoted after he posted comments on his private facebook page questioning the idea of homosexual ‘marriages’ taking place on religious premises.
Adrian Smith, an employee of tax-payer funded Trafford Housing Trust, posted a comment in response to a BBC news headline about civil partnerships taking place on religious premises, saying that this was an “equality too far.”
The comment, written outside of working hours, appeared on his private page and could only be seen by Mr Smith’s friends.
A work colleague posted a comment in reply, asking if Mr Smith disagreed with the government’s proposal. He responded, saying: “No, not really. I don’t understand why people who have no faith and don’t believe in Christ would want to get hitched in church. The Bible is quite specific that marriage is for men and women. If the state wants to offer civil marriages to the same sex then that is up to the state; but the state shouldn’t impose its rules on places of faith and conscience.”
A colleague then reported the comments to the head of equality and diversity at Trafford Housing, Helen Malone.
Mr Smith was found guilty of gross misconduct and now faces demotion from a managerial post to a lower grade position and a corresponding pay cut from £35,000 to £21,396 per year.
He was given a written warning which stated that any further offence would end in him being sacked and that he only kept his job because of his long standing service of some 18 years at the Trust.
Mr Smith has decided to take legal action against his employers, believing their actions to be an infringement of his freedom of speech and belief.
Earlier this year another housing services employee from Wakefield was told to remove a palm cross from his work van but refused to do so and was investigated and later suspended as a result.
Andrea Williams, CEO of Christian Concern, commented:
“This case demonstrates the climate of fear that has taken hold in our country, particularly in public sector services, to the extent that simply holding and expressing Christian views about marriage in private results in severe disciplinary action.
“I hope that this case serves as a wake-up call to those who have not recognised the dangerous erosion of religious freedom and freedom of speech that has taken place in recent years.”
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Andrea’s Blog: Heaven on Earth?