A Sainsbury's worker was sacked by the supermarket following a race row over a toy rabbit.
Marian Cunnington, 52, reacted to seeing a cuddly toy rabbit named 'Bing', the lead character of a BBC kids cartoon, in a Midlands branch of the store while on shift.
The supermarket employee told an employment tribunal she asked colleagues: “Should we really be selling this toy? Black Lives Matter", according to Birmingham Live.
The 52-year-old was dismissed from her 28-year career for gross misconduct after a colleague claimed the comment she made was racist, reports the Mirror.
“I’m not a racist and I’m a really good worker," she told the tribunal, adding: “When I was summarily dismissed I was in disbelief.
“Complete shock...when you have worked for a company for that long, to have it all ripped away and leave under such circumstances.
“It was very hard but then I knew that I hadn’t said anything racist.
Marian - an award-winning staff member - was suspended from work the same day, on June 4, 2020.
The Shropshire woman felt the toy could be offensive to black people, in the same way as the banned Robertson’s jam mascot.
Birmingham Employment Tribunal was told by Marian: “I was actually standing up for BLM.”
However, she was sacked on July 2 and her appeal against the decision was also turned down.
Last month employment Judge Richardson said “sensitivities were heightened” at the time of the incident, which happened roughly two weeks after George Floyd was murdered in America.
He said: “...it is all the more reason to take great care that proper procedures are followed thoroughly, objectively and fairly so that justice can be done.
“Given the size and resources of [Sainsbury’s], the fact that so many fundamental procedural errors were made is unacceptable... the process followed was a disservice to [Marian] and also to [Sainsbury’s] cause to being an inclusive employer.
“In summary the decision to dismiss was not well founded and is unfair.”
Marian, who will receive a payout at a later hearing, has now found work with Marks & Spencer.
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