A sewage worker was reportedly sacked over a post calling Hamas ‘disgusting terrorists’ on an internal staff site.
Severn Trent Water (STW) immediately suspended Damon Joshua, who was then dismissed without notice following a disciplinary hearing.
In the post, which included an image of the Israel flag, Mr Joshua wrote: ‘One year ago our valued partners and friends, Israel, were horrifically attacked by a group of violent and disgusting terrorists. I can say the vast majority of STW’s employees stand in solidarity with our Jewish, Israeli and Zionist colleagues against the evil of Islamist terror.’
The post was taken down by managers after other staff complained ‘the terminology was very derogatory’ and ‘is very one-sided’, it was reported.
Mr Joshua told The Sunday Telegraph: ‘It happened in a matter of hours. I made the post at 7.50am.
A sewage worker was reportedly sacked over a post calling Hamas ‘disgusting terrorists’ on an internal staff site
Severn Trent Water (STW) immediately suspended Damon Joshua, who was then dismissed without notice following a disciplinary hearing
In the post, which included an image of the Israel flag, Mr Joshua wrote: ‘One year ago our valued partners and friends, Israel, were horrifically attacked by a group of violent and disgusting terrorists.
Mr Joshua said: ‘How could it be one-sided or derogatory to oppose a terrorist? Surely this is only one-sided’
At 1pm I got called to a meeting room. My manager and her manager were there and I was suspended… They used the word ‘derogatory’ for the words I had used to describe a terrorist organisation, which shocked me.
How could it be one-sided or derogatory to oppose a terrorist? Surely this is only one-sided.’
Mr Joshua appealed his dismissal for gross misconduct but was unsuccessful.
A Severn Trent Water spokesman said: ‘This is a complex employee relations case and it’s important to be clear that this is not the whole story nor an isolated incident.’
