Muslim faces sack over prayer

The Australian Industrial Relations Commission said on Thursday it had received a complaint from Lebanese Australian Kamal El-Masri against his internet industry employers over a threat to sack him unless he stops praying during work hours.

Unions and Islamic community representatives said they were shocked by the Sydney firm's attitude.

Mr El-Masri's religious beliefs require that he pray five times a day. Two of those times fall within normal work hours.

"We are extremely disappointed that the company would begrudge an employee 10 minutes to connect with God," said Keysar Trad, spokesman for the Lebanese Muslim Association in Sydney.

"Workers take time off to smoke cigarettes or have a chat with each other or take the required 10 minute break to have a stretch every hour after working on a computer."

The Industrial Relations Commission has said it will give internet service providers Total Peripheral Group (TPG) until October 14 to try and negotiate an agreement with Mr El-Masri's union.

TPG defended its decision.

"I'm the last person to be a racialist," Sydney tabloid The Daily Telegraph quoted TPG general manager Julie Jules as saying.

"I just can't have people taking breaks whenever they want. We run a business here."

Mr El-Masri was said to have offered to make up the lost time by working an extra 10 minutes at the end of the day.

"This appears a case of outright religious discrimination," New South Wales Labour Council secretary John Robertson said in a statement.

"We hear a lot about employers demanding flexibility but it works both ways."