A labour court English ruled Friday that veganism is a “philosophical belief” and, as such, must be protected by the law. The decision, which has caused considerable stir in the United Kingdom before their possible consequences for workers and employers, responds to the lawsuit filed by a british citizen of Catalan origin, Jordi Casamitjana, against his dismissal, which it considers discriminatory, and that attributes to his steadfast convictions to be vegan.
The judge of Norwich (town in the east of England, 160 miles from London) this Friday still had not ruled on whether the dismissal of Casamitjana, a zoologist of 55 years who worked for the organization animal rights League Against Cruel Sports, was or was not appropriate. But whatever the final outcome of the litigation, the magistrate judge Robin Postle has already sentenced beforehand to veganism as a philosophy or way of life deserve to enjoy the protection of the Equality Act, passed in 2010 to prevent that religions and beliefs are the subject of any form of discrimination.
expand photo Jordi Casamitjana, this Friday before the court of Norwich. Nick Ansell AP
while the opinion of a labour court does not feel legal precedent in the jurisprudence of the country, the resolution of the case Casamitjana opens many questions in the field of companies and their workers. For example: how could the cashier of a supermarket, from now on, refuse to charge the customer that brings in the bag of buying meat products? The implications are considerable and announce possible future demands in other sectors, such as education or the provision of goods and services. Neither can it be ruled out that other employees seek the legal protection of their “beliefs” of another nature, such as the need to combat climate change. The great british business lobbying IWC has accepted a “no comment, at this stage of the process”, when questioned by THE NATION about the uncertain impact of the judgement in the business world.
Dominika Piasecka, a spokesman for the veteran british society Vegan Society, does not believe that the effects of this resolution “historic,” reaching so far from immediate. Although it is confident that, over the next few years, leading to a culture of respect for the convictions of the employees to perform their work. It puts itself as an illustration of someone who was a waitress in a restaurant, forced to wear a certain leather footwear at the time of serving customers. A horror for the one who rejects the consumption of all food and products of animal origin, including items made with fur or honey.
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the opinion of The judge Postle, adventure Piasecka, perhaps open the way for people like her and as Jordi Casamitjana, abjure all kinds of exploitation of animals, you do not have to go through that evil drink that goes against their profound convictions. That has been the main argument of the british of Catalan origin in order to justify his cause before a court which had the support of the Vegan Society.
A tiny revolution
a Degree as a zoologist for the department of Biology, University of Barcelona, installed in the Uk since 26 years ago, and naturalized british, Casamitjana has been declared to be happy for a ruling that, as expected, “benefit” to all vegans. This resident of london began its battle particularly after discovering that in the pension plan of the organization I was working for participating companies who are experienced with animals. Alleges that his bosses did not case when you raised that contradiction and that ended up despidiéndole by his insistence on mobilizing other workers of the organization.
Since then, the image of this ethologist focused on the study of animal behavior, and usually appear dressed in a woolen cap that looks good visible the motto “vegan”, has been popularized by the BBC and other british media attributed the prominence of a small revolution. A vegan is convinced that you grow your own vegetables without the need for fertilizers, complains of the use of the car and even premium walking tours in front of the option of public transport.
their cause not only reached the English courts, but also end up winning the injunction, has been made possible thanks to a campaign crowdfounding fed by those who share the same vision that the british citizen Csamitjana.
The question of the rights of animals
“We need to develop and implement social policies and practices that reflect our compassion for animals and their rights”, underlined THE COUNTRY Jeanette Rowley, legal expert of the Vegan Society and the exponent of the same arguments during the trial of Norwich, in which he championed the claim of Jordi Casamitjana.
The representative of the oldest vegan society world, founded in 1944, considered that the judge’s decision “represents a support to vegans and those who are in the transition of converting to veganism, recognizing the importance of their convictions and their protection under the Equality Act 2010”. The understanding of the lawyer Rowley, the case Casamitjana“, not only on the rights of vegans,” but illustrates “how a society that respects the veganism and is adapted to vegans also express the indisputable guarantee of the rights of non-human animals”.
