04/01: UNITE AGAINST GOD
“ THE MAJORITY OF CLERGY DO NOT ACTUALLY WANT EMPLOYMENT STATUS ” says Rev John Packer, Bishop of Ripon and Leeds, they are employed by GOD,
Unite Union today released a statement that is lobbying for the government to change the law to give priests greater protection
UNITE has set up a hotline where the clergy can report abuse, and says it deals with up to 150 cases a year. "They're picked on for everything they do wrong, so in the end the person runs around terrified. You see these people unsupported, driven into depression and a nervous breakdown."
'Campaign of hate'
Mr Barlow said: "Bishops can treat people shamefully. The most common experience is a priest gets called in for a pastoral chat, to 'see how things are going', within half an hour he's telling you he's going to fire you or take your licence away".
Parishioners can also carry out the bullying, according to Unite, citing the case of a priest in rural Worcestershire who claims he was driven out by a campaign of hate.
When Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams was asked about the issue of bullying at a recent TUC conference, he admitted there was a problem.
"The question of bullying, I'm glad you raise it because I think that's unfinished business for us and I'm very glad that it's flagged up," he said.
The union says priests are vulnerable, because they are classed as self-employed office holders, which means they are exempt from the protection offered by employment law. This means they cannot claim unfair dismissal, or seek protection under health and safety laws.
“So what can they do?”
GO ON STRIKE !!!
Unite Union today released a statement that is lobbying for the government to change the law to give priests greater protection
UNITE has set up a hotline where the clergy can report abuse, and says it deals with up to 150 cases a year. "They're picked on for everything they do wrong, so in the end the person runs around terrified. You see these people unsupported, driven into depression and a nervous breakdown."
'Campaign of hate'
Mr Barlow said: "Bishops can treat people shamefully. The most common experience is a priest gets called in for a pastoral chat, to 'see how things are going', within half an hour he's telling you he's going to fire you or take your licence away".
Parishioners can also carry out the bullying, according to Unite, citing the case of a priest in rural Worcestershire who claims he was driven out by a campaign of hate.
When Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams was asked about the issue of bullying at a recent TUC conference, he admitted there was a problem.
"The question of bullying, I'm glad you raise it because I think that's unfinished business for us and I'm very glad that it's flagged up," he said.
The union says priests are vulnerable, because they are classed as self-employed office holders, which means they are exempt from the protection offered by employment law. This means they cannot claim unfair dismissal, or seek protection under health and safety laws.
“So what can they do?”
GO ON STRIKE !!!
