Taxi firm race row

Kirsty Elleray and David Ottewell
8/ 5/2008
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1048697_taxi_firm_race_row
A TAXI firm has sparked a race row by ordering its drivers to dress in `European' style and remove all headwear.

Metro Taxis, the biggest cab firm in Stockport, made the demand in a newsletter to employees - and said anyone dressed `unsuitably' would be `disabled until further notice'.

The company denied the rules were aimed at religious headwear and said any driver who claimed they needed to wear a cap or turban would be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

A Metro Taxis' spokesman said their concern was baseball caps - and the wording of the dress code would be `updated' in future newsletters. They did not explain the reasons for the dress policy or spell out what drivers being `disabled' meant.

Rights campaigners warned that the company could face court action if they didn't make explicit concessions for minority groups.

The `no headwear' rule is included in the April edition of a newsletter sent to all Metro Taxi drivers.

Under a section called `dress code and expectations' it says: "Any driver found to be unsuitably dressed will be disabled until further notice.

"We wish all drivers to adhere to: European dress only, no headwear whatsoever, no short trousers and shirts to be worn at all times (no matter how hot it is!)."

One self-employed driver who works for the company said: "What does European dress even mean? What if you are a driver of African origin, a Sikh, if you are Jewish or Muslim, and have to wear headwear as part of your religion?"

Chris Davies, the Stockport-based Liberal Democrat Euro-MP, warned the company risked breaching anti-discrimination laws. He said: "There is no such thing as European dress, except that everyone living in Europe must have the right to wear whatever they want."

Mohammed Shafiq, of the Ramadan Foundation, said: "In a free society people should be free to dress according to what they believe."

Vijay Kumar, of Greater Manchester Indian Association, said: "Sikhs wearing traditional dress and headwear for example is not going to affect their ability in their work."

Stockport Council said: "The council would expect all taxi drivers to be suitably attired. We would not specify or exclude any type of attire including head-wear as long as it was suitable for driving."

The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform said discrimination, harassment and victimisation on the grounds of religion or belief at work were outlawed.

But employers are not prevented from having rules about personal appearance and dress - provided those rules could be justified, for example on health and safety grounds.

A spokeswoman for the Equality and Human Rights Commission declined to comment on the case of Metro Taxis but said: "A company which instructs its staff not to wear headgear could be in breach of race relations law."

Metro Taxis have private hire and black cabs as well as mini-buses.