Calgary Transit driver says he'll quit if asked to drive Pride bus

[rx7boi]

What do you guys think? Has it gone too far?

As an employee of an organization, part of your obligation is to represent the organization's mission and values.

Would it be appropriate for the city if they also required the driver to wear a pride badge as part of the movement celebration?

Where do personal beliefs fit into the workplace? I did some light searching and found that some (maybe most?) places in the US will try to reasonably accommodate an employee's religious beliefs or practices unless it is more than just a minimal burden to operations.

This guy still wants to drive the bus and is open to being assigned to another bus, which I hope is a minimal burden to operations.

http://www.calgarysun.com/2015/08/28...rive-pride-bus

A Calgary man says he will quit his job if he's assigned to drive a bus wrapped in a rainbow flag.

The annual Calgary Pride Festival kicks off Friday and, as a show of support, a Calgary Transit bus has been wrapped in the symbol of inclusiveness.

The rainbow flag bus will operate through Sept. 7, the day of the parade.

Jesse Rau, who has worked for Calgary Transit as a driver for about a year, says he's a Christian and can't support homosexuality.

Rau hopes Calgary Transit and the Amalgamated Transit Union will support drivers who don't want to drive the rainbow bus.

MORE: Transit unveils `Ride with Pride`

Doug Morgan, director of Calgary Transit, says drivers can only refuse to work based on safety issues.

"What we would do is open a dialogue with them and chat with them and ask them about their issues and making sure we're being sensitive to their beliefs, but overall the service has to go out and we would ask them to drive the bus," Morgan said.

Rau said he hopes he would be assigned to another bus.

"I have a family to support and I am very concerned about losing the job, it's something I'm very proud to be a part of, but when it goes against the most important things I stand for, or if I'm asked to compromise in such a big way for what I believe to be right, then I have to lose my job," Rau said.

"I'm a Christian so, as a Christian, there are things like homosexuality that I just can't condone. Unfortunately, we live in a culture where if you disagree with someone's lifestyle, the accusation is that you hate the person."

Calgary Pride's director of government affairs, Craig Sklenar, says the bus is a symbol of progress.

'It's a sign of the change in Calgary," said Sklenar. "There's still much to do in as much as LGBTQ rights are concerned but we are excited there is such public displays of pride across the city over the next few weeks."

[sexualbanana]

I hope no one is forced to do anything (quit or work the route). I can't imagine it would be that difficult to accommodate him, nor do I think it could cause some kind of crazy precedent.

[codetrap]

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[Mibz]

Why doesn't CT put out a Christian bus?

[Feruk]

Originally posted by codetrap
I think he's within his rights to refuse.

You're wrong, he's not. Your rights don't allow you to discriminate on any ground, including religion.

Originally posted by codetrap
And honestly, I don't think that CT should be wrapping a bus in rainbow colors of its own accord. They should remain politically neutral.

Agreed 100%. Yet another waste of taxpayer money.

[codetrap]

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[Jonathanl10]

I heard it was funded by Pattison Advertisements so I think it's private?

[gwill]

He's not discriminating.. You can honour your faith or your beliefs without discriminating. If your not spreading hate or bigoted views then there should be no problem accommodating the drivers request.

If you want to talk about discrimination City councils all across Canada can't start their city council meetings with a prayer any more due to atheists... This was handed down by the courts. How many times do we read about different cities stopping ads around Christmas because of wording? Being that the cities cator to weirder requests I'd be shocked if they forced a driver to drive that bus who claimed religious beliefs as his reasoning for not wanting to.

It's a minor issue with a really simple fix from the city.... Not newsworthy imo

[Sugarphreak]

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[ickyflex]

Originally posted by codetrap
I understand where you're coming from, but I don't think this is black and white like that. He can't support homosexuality because of his religious beliefs.. that's pretty cut and dried in his mind. It's not the same as condemning them, so is he actually discriminating? Would it be discriminating against his religious beliefs by putting him into a situation where he's forced to resign?

There's a lot of grey on this issue. The smart thing to do would to be simply to make sure he doesn't drive the rainbow bus. The same as you wouldn't feed ham sandwiches to a bunch of muslim kids in the cafeteria...

I think that is fair game. I mean we have to understand where people are coming from with their religious beliefs. I think the factor that matters is how they choose to express it. If he is going out on an anti-gay spree that's different then mentally just not supporting it. I doubt he wanted any media attention, he was probably just hoping for a quick and easy transfer because it probably isn't anything more than he just can't support it.

Edit: After reading the post above mine then I don't so much agree if he is asking for the attention and wasn't even asked to drive it lol. Reading > me

[Nitro5]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
I'd like to point out the obvious issue here:He wasn't asked to drive the bus, so why the fuck is he complaining in the first place... and to the media no less.

Say even if he was, I am almost 100% sure if he brought this too his boss, his boss would quietly stick him on another route for the day to avoid a giant media blow up. Everybody is happy, and nobody is oppressed.

But no, the fuck head idiot goes to the media and makes Calgarians look like a bunch of discriminatory losers.



Finally... I don't remember any bus drivers making a fuss when we had that huge "THERE IS NO GOD" vs "THERE IS A GOD" religious advertising war a few years ago.

Google his name, he's one of the Street Church fanatics

[Cos]

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[rx7boi]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
I'd like to point out the obvious issue here:He wasn't asked to drive the bus, so why the fuck is he complaining in the first place... and to the media no less.

Good point. He hasn't even been assigned a pride bus yet.

It'd be a big issue if he drove the pride bus and refused service to LGBTQ (how many fucking letters are they going to add?) or people that supported them.

I don't think that's going to be the case though as he's been driving a bus for about a year now.

However, I do think that this is a two way street. If they are asking him to support the movement by proxy via driving the pride bus, they should also be open in trying to reasonably accommodate him if he doesn't. He was hired on to drive a bus with that comes the idea that an employee will uphold Calgary Transit's mission statue and values.

I don't think he's the only guy in this situation though.

[speedog]

This should be a non-issue - wrap was paid for 100% by non-tax payer monies and the complainant doesn't actually know if he even has to drive this particular bus.

[Sugarphreak]

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[riander5]

He is totally within his rights. How dare CP risk screwing up his earthly life and ruin his bid for a glorious afterlife in heaven. You go girl!

[jacky4566]

I believe CT operators sign an agreement not to talk with the media so this guy will be out of a job anyway.

[nonsane]

Judging by this video this person appears to be one of those protesters that stand in front of city hall.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.p...13430772097754

edit: Also was arrested at city hall for another religious gathering and refused to leave

http://www.streetchurch.ca/news-jour...d-at-christmas

[HuMz]

There's a difference between discrimination based on sexual orientation and being asked to celebrate something you don't agree with.

CT and the LGBT group who helped plan this knew there would be Muslim, Christian and other bus drivers who wouldn't feel comfortable driving this bus because it isn't morally neutral.

But like so many of the LGBT leaders, if there is an opportunity to attack people because they won't celebrate their sexuality, they will take full advantage.

The good news is more people are starting to recognize that the LGBT community already has equal rights under the law. And most of the activism they do now is to bully those who don't celebrate there lifestyle.

The ones advocating for tolerance have become the most intolerant.

[codetrap]

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