The Antwerp trade union representative Badia Miri says that if Muslim women working for the municipality can't wear a veil while dealing with clients in order to guarantee neutrality, then the city shouldn't be putting out Christmas trees in the municipality building, or passing out Easter eggs.
Miri is one of seven Muslim women who must take off their veil if they want to continue working by the city counter. Of the seven Antwerp municipal workers who had worn a veil by the counter, three had taken it off. Other positions were sought for the others. Nobody was fired. However, there is still opposition to the clothing regulations which were implemented in March. The seven Muslims are now pushing for truly enforcing neutrality.
"The Antwerp city council claims that neutrality suffers if personnel wear a cross or veil," says Miri. But she says that their experience is that action is taken only against the Muslim women. "If the city council is truly committed to neutrality than there should be no more Christmas trees or Easter eggs at work." Miri says they want a place where they can report all infringements of the clothing regulations.
Source: HLN (Dutch)
See also: Antwerp: Protest against veil ban , Antwerp: Municipal veil ban drawing protest, Brussels: Veil forbidden