Show respect for workers’ rights

BAR manager Christi Hurrell has spent months in turmoil after being sacked on the spot from her job in Dundee.

The Lochee 22-year-old was left distraught after being dismissed from her role in full view of customers.

For all present it must have been a shocking and upsetting scene which simply should not have happened.

But the fact that Christi’s age was given as a reason for her dismissal adds a further dimension to the case.

She has now been awarded compensation of more than £18,000 by an employment tribunal which recognised she had been discriminated against.

It is a sad tale, but fortunately Christi is now moving on with a new job and renewed confidence in her own abilities.

But there is also a wider message to employers from Christi’s experience.

In an industry as fragile as hospitality is right now, it is essential that workers’ rights don’t go out of the window as managers and owners look to plot a path through the troubled waters of Covid and the cost-of-living crisis.

They need to recognise that workers like Christi are part of the solution, not part of the problem, and act accordingly.