A British lawyer has spoken out about the tradition to hold office tea rounds at the workplace and defended the vegans by claiming they should be legally exempt from attending the rituals because it is discriminatory to make them handle milk due to their beliefs.
According to vegan activists, the discrimination against plant-based eaters at the workplace is real and should be banned.
As they claim, a good way to start undermining the discrimination would be to recognize veganism as a ‘protected characteristic’ under the Equality Act.
“If you were Jewish or Muslim and told to get a round of bacon sandwiches in, no one would bat an eyelid if you refused,” senior lawyer and a vegan advocate, Alex Monaco, claimed.
“But if you’re vegan and refused to buy a pint of milk to make tea because you believe the dairy industry is torturing cows, then you would be laughed out of the kitchen.
“Many vegans go to the work canteen and find there is nothing there to eat which is plant-based. Or you’ll go on an away day, and you’ll find the sandwiches all have butter in them.”
On top of his campaign to counter discrimination against vegans at the workplace, Monaco now also offers pro-bono consultations to all clients who are being discriminated due to their beliefs.
“Vegans do get bullied – I was even bullied on a holiday with friends when I couldn’t eat anything from the butcher’s or pizzeria,” the 38-year-old vegan who runs the firm Monaco Solicitors added.
“I’m not even particularly vulnerable – so how do you think a vegan on a building site could be treated?
“The tide is changing now. It’s a movement. If we can get the law changed, people’s views may follow on from that.”
While the senior lawyer believes some progress towards a more inclusive environment for the vegans has already been made, he went on to say that a change in the law is crucial to further challenge discriminatory behavior not only at the workplace but in general.
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