11 January 2008: Workers fired for not smoking

The owner of a small German company has fired three non-smoking workers, because they were demanding a smoke-free environment.

Germany introduced non-smoking rules in pubs and restaurants on January 1, but Germans working in small offices are still allowed to smoke.

The manager of the 10-person IT company said he had fired the trio because their non-smoking was causing disruptions. "I can't be bothered with trouble-makers," he said.