An employment tribunal has ruled that a Salvation Army employee was fairly dismissed after making inflammatory comments about refugees, including a statement that they should all be sent back 'on a boat'.
Shocking Comments in a Hostel Setting
The case centred on Charles Markie, 56, who had worked for the Christian charity for nearly two decades. The incident occurred in March 2024 at Strathmore Lodge, a Salvation Army-run hostel in Dundee that provides support for homeless and vulnerable people, including refugees.
The tribunal heard that Mr Markie, whose role involved supporting hostel users, told colleagues: 'There wouldn't be a housing shortage if we weren't taking in 150 refugees'. He then added the more explicit remark: 'send them all back on a f****** boat'.
His comments caused immediate shock among staff. When challenged by a colleague who asked if his statement included a Syrian refugee using the hostel, Mr Markie responded, 'Yes, the lot of them'.
Disciplinary Process and Defence
A concerned colleague reported the remarks to Mr Markie's line manager, Tracey Young, hoping he would be 'pulled up' for what she saw as racist behaviour. Following a warning, Mr Markie complained that staff 'couldn't even joke or take part in banter'.
At a subsequent disciplinary hearing chaired by service manager Karen Good, Mr Markie attempted to downplay his language. He claimed, 'I didn't say the F word. I said send them all back on a boat. I didn't swear'. He later admitted to swearing during the investigation.
He defended his comments as a personal point of view, stating, 'We are letting too many people in when we don't have facilities or housing to give them'. He told the hearing he did not mean to hurt anyone, insisted he was not racist, and said he had foreign friends.
Gross Misconduct Finding Upheld
Karen Good concluded that the comment was racist and 'undermined any trust she had in the claimant's ability to carry on with his role which involved helping refugees based on their needs'. She found he had committed gross misconduct and summarily dismissed him.
Mr Markie later emailed Miss Good, disputing the claim he was aggressive and stating everyone was 'laughing' during the conversation. He wrote, 'Sack me, but don't sack me for gross misconduct'.
Mr Markie subsequently brought claims for unfair dismissal, direct sex discrimination, and harassment. All three claims were dismissed by Employment Judge James Hendry at a tribunal in Dundee in September last year.
Publishing his ruling on December 31, Judge Hendry stated: 'The evidence showed that the claimant's colleagues were shocked at the comment made, betraying, as they saw it, a complete insensitivity towards those that they were duty bound to help.'
