Nurses Skirts are against the Constitution


Nurses wear the trousers in Spain

Nurses who have been told they can wear trousers are still facing disciplinary action for getting rid of their skirts.

Following a three year battle over uniforms the Spanish Constitutional Court has ruled that it is unconstitutional to force nurses at a private clinic in Cadiz to wear skirts.

However the San Raphael Clinic has ignored the ruling and has since sent letters to five nurses who have started to wear trousers.

In the letter the clinic warns the nurses they face new sanctions if they do not observe the company's strict dress code which includes a skirt, apron and nurses cap.

And despite the Constitutional Court considering the uniform policy to be "discriminatory" and "belonging to another time", the clinic claims they can still appeal the ruling.

It comes after the earlier decision by the High Court which found in favour of the clinic, defending their right to impose a uniform, was overturned.

The union CCOO has now denounced the letters to the Work Inspectorate.



What do you think of the court's decision?

Have a look at the post on Hospital English.

Comments

Montse said…
Hi, Graham. It’s incredible that workers have to sue their company by things like that. I think people have to be able to do their work the most comfortable way as possible in spite of you have to wear a uniform. There still are some reactionary ideas engrained in our culture which we have to remove.
Paloma said…
Hi Graham:I love wearing dresses and skirts, I think they are cool and comfortable clothes,especially in summer, but it is still unimaginable to think that in some jobs they require to wear a kind of dress, above all the nurses who work in a hospital have to feel comfortable with their clothes.
Graham, what does mean: " I am disappointed you didn't take a mattress with you! ? See you
Graham said…
Hi Montse,

I don't think the workers were suing their employer in this case. However, I wouldn't be surprised if they sought some sort of financial compensation for the emotional stress caused by wearing a skirt.


It’s incredible that workers have to SUE their company FOR things like that. I think people have to be able to do their work the most comfortable way possible IN SPITE OF HAVING TO wear a uniform.


I don't know if you are for or against the court's decision.
Graham said…
Hi Paloma,

If your employer asked you to wear a skirt as part of a new uniform policy, would you object?

Nurses have been doing their job in "traditional uniforms" for long enough without any problems. Why all the fuss now?

The next thing schoolgirls will be demanding their right to wear trousers just like the boys.


what DOES "I am disappointed you didn't take a mattress with you!" MEAN?

A mattress is what you sleep on; I thought you would have taken one with you to Sol and joined the "indignados". lol
Marta said…
Customs defined as "a way of behaving or a belief which has been established for a long time" is not necessary positive just for being practised for many years. Do you think that slavery is a good custom just because it has been practised for centuries without any opposition (even nowadays)?
Examples are countless.
If there is only one woman who feels unconfortable dressed like that, she has the right to reclaim equal treatment with regard to her male colleagues.
Equal treatment is a constitutional right. Hopefully, schoolgirls will demand their rigth to wear trousers in a near future!
Paloma said…
Hi Graham: I didn't go to sleep with them (I don't have age, je,je). Just went to see the atmosphere and can talk about it.
Are you againt that nurses can wear trousers? Surely they are more attractive, but it is much more comfortable wearing trousers in some cases as in hospitals. In my children's school, boys wore trousers and girls skirts. Only a few ages ago the school let wearing trousers to the grls in winter because they were cold, is not that normal?. See you
Paloma said…
Hello Graham: well, well, well...I don't understand your stance in this discussion. It's true that there are rules and that they are to obey them but, isn't it good to change the rules when is about improving something or someone? Do you think that the muslim women who are against wearing a burka shouldn't rebel against their "bosses"?
Graham said…
Hi Marta,

It seems that I am outnumbered on this one.


Customs defined as "a way of behaving or a belief which has been established for a long time" ARE not NECESSARILY positive just BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN practised for many years. Do you think that slavery is a good custom just because it has been practised for centuries without any opposition (even nowadays)?
Examples are countless.
If there is only one woman who feels UNCOMFORTABE dressed like that, she has the right to DEMAND equal treatment with regard to her male colleagues.
Equal treatment is a constitutional right. Hopefully, schoolgirls will demand their right to wear trousers in THE near future!


Changing subject - do you have facebook? I have started one. Graham Madridteacher is my name.
Graham said…
Hi Paloma,

Well, at least it makes a change from the arguements about football.

You might be surprised but I agree with much of what you say. It is more comfortable for nurses to wear trouses. Women shouldn't be forced to wear a Burka (though you can hardly compare this to wearing a skirt as part of a uniform).

I just think that there are more serious injustices, such as slavery in the sex industry, that affect women in this world.


I didn't go to sleep with them (I AM TOO OLD/ I'M NOT YOUNG ENOUGH, je,je). I just went to see the atmosphere SO THAT I COULD talk about it.
Are you AGAINST NURSES WEARING trousers? They are more attractive FOR SURE, but it is much more comfortable TO trousers IN SOME CASES, SUCH AS hospitals. In my children's school, boys wore trousers and girls skirts. Only a few YEARS ago the school LET GIRLS WEAR TROUSERS in winter because they were cold, is THAT NOT normal?

I'll post a recent article about a schoolboy who rebelled against some school rules.


It's true that there are rules AND THEY SHOULD BE OBEYED but, isn't it good to change the rules WHEN IT is about improving something or someone? Do you think that MUSLIM WOMEN who are against wearing a burka shouldn't rebel against their "bosses"?
Marta said…
I have a facebook account but honestly I don't use it at all. Internet is such a time-sucker! I spend more than one hour daily just for having up to date my email accounts!
Montse said…
Of course! I agree with the court’s decision. I don’t understand why men and women have to wear different uniforms for work. They have to wear the most comfortable for them. I’m not a feminist but I don’t like that anybody says me what I have to do because of the fact that I’m a woman.
I agree with the boy’s claim, as well, but that’s not the same thing.
Graham, I didn’t vote the first question because I don’t annoy anyone of them.
See you tomorrow!
Graham said…
Hi Marta,

I spend more than one hour daily just TO KEEP UP-TO-DATE WITH MY EMAILS!

If you change your mind, you can find me there with the plain surname of Madridteacher.
Graham said…
Hi Montse,

I don't know if it is good or bad news but we will have classes right up until 28th June.


Of course I agree with the court’s decision. They have to wear WHAT IS most comfortable for them. I’m not a feminist but I don’t LIKE ANYBODY TELLING ME what I have to do because of the fact that I’m a woman.
I agree with the boy’s claim as well, but IT'S not the same thing.
Graham, I didn’t vote IN the first question because NONE OF THEM ANNOY ME.


I think the majority of men would feel more comfortable if they didn't have to wear a suit and tie. They don't go to the constitutional court; they just get on with their job. :-)
Montse said…
Hi, Graham. I feel sorry for you because you’ll have to go on getting up early for a few days. I must get to work at 8 h anyway and you know that English classes aren’t a torture for me, what’s more, I like them.
Everybody has to wear a uniform sometime in their life. That’s not the problem. I think the pyjama is a unisex uniform, then, why can’t women wear these clothes? Why do they have to wear a skirt? It’s clearly a sexist matter.
Graham said…
Hi Montse,

I think we will have to agree to disagree on this one. There should be many more important things for a nurse to worry about in a hospital.

I note that the hospital is going to ignore the court ruling. I wonder what the outcome will be.


To be honest, I was looking forward to getting up a bit later. I am sure I will manage another few classes though.
Anonymous said…
I think that in the hospital they must put a rule to wear everybody the same because in that way patient can recognize the employees. But i think that the obligation on nurses to wear skirts is a litlle strange nowdays.

Majda
Graham said…
Not another one, Majda! I am amazed how all you females can get upset by this story.

What about air-hostesses?


I think that they must ESTABLISH a rule THAT everybody WEARS the same IN HOSPITALS because THEN the patient can recognize the employees.