Social Democracies Gone Wild

Another reminder of why we're glad America is not a social democracy: We do not yet have employment tribunals. Let's call this the Case of the Lime unCordial, from the London Times:

A LESBIAN shop worker sacked for throwing a bag of flour at a customer who called her a “filthy dyke” has won her case for unfair dismissal.

Caroline Gardener snapped after the man became abusive when he was unable to find any lime cordial in the shop. She claimed that he pushed her, called her useless and told her: “Get your sex life sorted out.”

Miss Gardener, 45, retaliated by throwing a packet of flour at the back of his head. When they went to the manager’s office to complain about each other’s conduct, Miss Gardener lunged at the customer.

She told the tribunal: “I didn’t go for his throat, I just went for his collar [nice defense!] because he had really upset me. When he called me a filthy dyke I had a pack of flour in my hand and, although I regret it now, I threw it at the back of his head. He then turned round and said, ‘You are a dyke and you’re going to get the sack’.”

Miss Gardener was dismissed for violent and insulting behaviour after a disciplinary hearing in September last year. She took Booker Cash & Carry to an employment tribunal, claiming breach of contract, unfair dismissal and discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation.

The tribunal panel ruled that Miss Gardener ... had been unfairly dismissed; but that she had not been dismissed because of her sexuality ....

That means in England it's unfair to fire someone for throwing objects at customers and lunging at them. This guy certainly is a strong argument against "the customer is always right," but still, I think anyone but a socialist-leaning bureacrat would say it's ok to give her the sack for nailing him with a sack.