NASUWT calls for end to “ethos loophole”

The European Employment Directive, due to be implemented in the UK by the end of 2003 will make it illegal to refuse to employ people on the grounds of disability, age, sexual orientation and religion.

The Government’s proposals for the implementation of the European Employment Directive include a clause “to ensure that churches – and other public and private organisations whose ethos is based on religion or belief – can continue to recruit staff of the same religion or belief where that is necessary to enable the preservation of that ethos”.

While the intention of the Government to protect the ethos of religious organisations is clear, the wording is deliberately vague and has caused some concern.

Despite the very real fears of Christians, and those of other faiths, about the existing proposals the NASUWT is calling on the Government to “go further than the Directive by removing all remaining exemptions”*. How churches, church schools, or other religious organisations are supposed to survive in such a lunatic world, where the lifestyle and religious beliefs of staff need not be compatible with the ethos of the organisation, is beyond comprehension.

Interestingly no one is challenging the right of a union to ask for “a demonstrable commitment to the principles and aims of the trade union movement” - political beliefs are not covered by the Directive.

The Governments proposals can be viewed at: http://www.dti.gov.uk/er/equality/consult.pdf
*Teaching Today August 2002, (NASUWT magazine)