Clergy demand 'rights for Christmas'

Members of the clergy are "employed by God"

The working conditions faced by Britain's clergy need a radical overhaul, their union has claimed.

With the festive season now here Amicus said that all church workers want for Christmas is proper employment rights.

Union leader Roger Lyons said a survey of church conditions "highlighted some of the worst industrial relations practices and horror stories that I have ever heard".

In November 80 MPs called for change after it emerged that one member of the clergy, the Reverend Ray Owen, was unable to claim unfair dismissal because he is "employed by God" under a 1912 law.

Blacklisted

Mr Lyons said that at a time of giving and thinking of others the church should act to make life better for its workers.

Revered Ray Owner claimed unfair dismissal

Cases highlighted in the Amicus survey included a priest who was blacklisted for jobs in his diocese without being told.

Another cleric was told to resign pending a legal enquiry, following which he was not charged.

And others said they felt as though they were treated as slaves and that members of the public would be shocked to know how few rights they had.

The union said it also had examples where people had been threatened.

Amicus pointed out that this would not have happened if the employment rights of church workers had been protected.

Treated unacceptably

The survey, called 'Why do Ministers of Religion Need Employment Rights?', has been handed to the government.

Of the clergy questioned eight out of ten said they knew a fellow minister who had been treated unacceptably by the church.

A similar number said they had fears about how their church authority would handle conflict between a priest and the church.

Mr Lyons said: "All we want for Christmas is employment rights.

"This would be a marvellous present which in the long run will help both the church authorities and this country's clergy."

'No redress

The group of 80 MPs called for members of the clergy to get the same rights as other British workers after learning of Rev Owen's case.

A Commons motion signed by the MPs said clergy are "denied basic employment rights and have no redress against sex, disability or racial discrimination at work".

It goes on to say "it is important to rectify this anomaly as a matter of urgency so that all workers can have full recourse to employment law and protection from unfair dismissal".

Rev Owen says he was unfairly sacked when he lost his job as Team Rector in the Parish of Hanley, Stoke on Trent, in 1999.