With toilet paper, is the only thing that is acceptable according to a Queensland company, Townsville Engineering Industries. A Filipino on a working visa employed by the company was sacked this week for not going to the toilet the Australian way. He cleans himself, as do many Asians, with water rather than toilet paper.
According to the worker, Amador Bernabe:
"I went to go to the toilet and I took a bottle of water when my foreman saw me and he said, ‘you can’t bring the water in there’,"
The foreman followed Mr Bernabe into the toilet despite his protests.
"I said it’s my personal hygiene. I didn’t break any law, I didn’t break any rules of the company, why can’t I do this, and he said he would report me to the manager.”
He was called into the manager’s office the next day, and in Mr Bernabe’s words:
"He asked me what had happened and I explained to him and he said if I didn’t follow the Australian way I would be immediately terminated and I said ‘sir, then you better terminate me’."
So they did.
This has, rightly, attracted criticism from unions and politicians.
Australian Manufacturing Worker’s Union state organiser Rick Finch said the incident was shocking.
"I think it is atrocious, an invasion of a person’s rights and cultural beliefs," he said.
"The paradox of the toilet and a person’s actions is something that no boss can even think about interfering with and the thought that bosses think they have the control to get involved in the toiletry is a gross invasion of an employee’s privacy.
"If it wasn’t so disgusting it would almost be laughable.”
He also went on to say:
"At the end of the day we are a multicultural society and if they want to import workers then they need to be tolerant of other workers and other cultures," he said.
"They don’t own these workers, they are borrowed and hired to carry out a job.
"The thought these bosses think they can lord it over these workers is insane.
"What it shows is the company’s complete arrogance for workers’ rights."
But the best quote was from the local MP, Craig Wallace:
"Employers should be worried how their business operates rather than what their employees do in the loo,".
Good call!
Not only that, but the company should also be worried about the foreman’s shit fetish and the manager’s encouragement of it.
All very well, until you have used a toilet after a person with a water bottle has used it. I am sure many are careful but some are not.
I’m all for supporting people for cultural reasons but i work at a food processing plant and we have foreign workers who also clean up after themselves in ways that i don’t wish to post. I agree the firing was a little (alot) extreme but if they want to work in this country is it really too much to ask that when they are at work that they try to embrace how our toilets are used?
That’s what you get for not having bidets installed.
I have two words for the foreign man – baby wipes.
I can totally relate!
Growing up in Malaysia, it’s standard in every bathroom to have a nearby tap and some sort of water delivery device, whether a little hose, or what looks like a plastic version of a saucepan. I actually use both water and TP, but I won’t go into details, LoL!
The only reason this might have been a valid issue for the employer would be if the Filipino didn’t wash his hands afterwards.
And as gross as it sounds, unfortunately, oftentimes in Malaysian public toilets, there’s neither soap nor toilet paper. But there’s a water delivery device. Yuck. That’s how I developed my mighty bladder – I used to be able to hold off on peeing for the whole day if need be, just to avoid having to “go” in gross conditions :p
Lynne – its actually quite strange to see the tap, hose and/or bucket of water in the toilet, when you’re not used to it. Fortunately, I haven’t ever had to use them, as the paper option was available.
Have also managed to avoid the fun of squat toilets. Not something I’m keen to try.
Oh dear. I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry. It all does seem a bit extreme doesn’t it? I mean, who really cares? I’d rather not know what anyone’s elses “habit” is to be quite honest. Like someone else said, as long as they wash their hands afterwards!
Just saw this news tonight, so sorry for the late post.
Back in Philippines, at least in Manila, some hold off on the ladle habit until one gets back home. We bring our own tissue paper and wipe with that to avoid having to sit on the toilet bowl in a public toilet and avoid leaving the area wet, whether it’s the bowl or the floor, as a courtesy for the next user. Some even bring air freshener to get rid of the odor, especially in toilets in small offices with only windows for exhaust.
A former co-worker of mine had an unusual manner – he dropped trousers to the floor to use the wall urinal and stood there mostly naked with outstretched arms, reciting some kind of ritualistic prose as he did the deed. I’ve been exposed to some pretty strange cultural customs and kept silent about these strange toilet mannerisms, but others apparently weren’t as tolerant and he vanished from the organisation after about three days.