UK train operator bans Palestine badges after pressure from pro-Israel legal group
A train company in the UK has banned its staff from wearing badges supporting Palestine while on duty after a pro-Israel legal group raised complaints over an employee wearing a "Palestine Solidarity" badge.
Last month, UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) sent a legal letter to London North Eastern Railway (LNER) after a passenger complained that a member of staff wearing a pro-Palestine badge made them feel "uncomfortable and unwelcome" during a train journey.
According to UKLFI, the incident took place on 14 June aboard an LNER service travelling from Edinburgh to London.
The organisation said the passenger, who is Jewish, reported that a member of staff serving food was wearing an official badge designed, produced and sold by the RMT specifically for its trade union members, which displayed the words "Palestine Solidarity" over a Palestinian flag and the logo of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT).
In its complaint, UKLFI argued that political symbols worn by customer-facing staff could create an "intimidating, hostile or offensive environment" for Jewish, Israeli and Zionist passengers.
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It also cited the Equality Act 2010, arguing that service providers have an obligation not to subject customers to harassment based on protected characteristics.
A spokesperson for LNER told Middle East Eye that the train company has a "uniform policy that its onboard colleagues are required to adhere to".
"The uniform policy states that, when in uniform, colleagues are only allowed to wear a single pin badge on the lapel of their blazer/jacket," said the spokesperson.
"These pin badges must either be LNER issued, in support of a cause aligned to an LNER campaign when communicated, or the standard logo of a union a colleague is a member of."
UKLFI did not respond to MEE's request for comment.
In response to the UKLFI’s complaint, LNER managing director David Horne said the company had taken "appropriate steps" after receiving the complaint and reiterated that employees are not permitted to wear unauthorised badges while representing the company.
"LNER takes the concerns raised seriously," Horne wrote to UKLFI.
"Colleagues are required to comply with LNER's uniform standards while on duty and when representing the company. Those standards do not permit colleagues to wear unauthorised badges or other items as part of their uniform."
He said the employee involved had been spoken to on 17 June and reminded of the company's uniform requirements. LNER also issued a briefing to staff across the business reiterating that unauthorised badges and other items must not be worn while on duty.
Horne added that the company had informed the chair of its On Train Company Council, an employee representative body, of the action taken and said the chair had indicated they were content with LNER's position.
Caroline Turner, director of UKLFI, welcomed the company's response, and said she was "pleased that LNER responded quickly and decisively".
"Public transport providers serve passengers from every community," Turner said in a statement.
"Jewish passengers should be able to travel without being confronted by political messaging from staff members whilst receiving services."
The RMT, which has been one of the main trade unions supporting protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza and affiliated to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, declined to comment.
The trade union, however, has issued statements condemning Israel's actions in Gaza, actively called for its members to campaign for Palestine in the workplace and called its members to join the national marches for Palestine.
Expressions of solidarity
LNER's decision to ban pro-Palestine badges at the workplace comes amid wider debates over expressions of solidarity with Palestinians in British workplaces following Israel's war on Gaza.
Campaigners have raised concerns about employers restricting displays of support for Palestine, while some organisations have argued that political messaging should not be displayed by employees in customer-facing roles.
Earlier this year, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) endorsed a review into anti-Jewish hate and other forms of racism in the NHS by the UK government’s adviser on antisemitism, Lord John Mann.
The review recommended mandatory antisemitism training for 1.5 million NHS staff members, as well as banning them from displaying political symbols, including wearing the Palestine badge, in the workplace and preventing them from attending protests in their uniforms.
Following the outbreak of Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, several cases have emerged of medical workers being reprimanded for showing their support for Palestine or using Palestine-related memorabilia in the workplace.
They include a British-Palestinian nurse who was ordered to remove a background on his video calls that showed a fruit bowl containing a watermelon because it could be perceived to be antisemitic.
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