Disputes over long hair may have been a contentious issue in the 1960’s, but today the debate shifts to body piercing. Three Ameritech line workers were told to remove jewelry or face the consequence of losing their jobs. The workers, who are now temporarily suspended, claim that the piercing is a fashion statement and a declaration of individual freedom while the company claims the jewelry is a serious safety hazard.
See "Piercings pit workers against Ameritech", Jon Van, Chicago Tribune, June 20, 2001