A former warehouse employee has alleged colleagues made racist and homophobic jokes – including a colleague saying “Let the black b******* starve” when the Band Aid single was played.
Nathan Owens has accused former colleagues at Euro Quality Coatings Ltd (EQC), in Cardiff , of making comments which he believes to be racist and homophobic.
An employment tribunal at Caradog House, in Cardiff, heard Mr Owens began working for the powder coating company in October 2012 as a warehouse operative.
He was dismissed from the company on October 1, 2014, due to “lateness” and “absenteeism”.
Referred to as 'Token'
During his employment Mr Owens, who is mixed race, claims there were a number of racist and homophobic behaviour made both towards him and in his presence.
These included a claim colleague Dave Morgan, on listening to the Band Aid single Do They Know It’s Christmas?, said: “Let the black b******* starve”.
The same colleague was also alleged to have said to Mr Owens: “I remember back in the day we used to go n*****-bashing.”
Other alleged racist behaviour reported by Mr Owens included staff reportedly calling him “Token” behind his back – “because you’re the token black guy” – and a colleague, Mike Burnett, who, while discussing the film 12 Years A Slave, said: “I wish I could whip those n****** like in 12 Years A Slave.”
Mr Owens also claims Swastikas were drawn on the walls of the men’s toilets.
'Is there paedophilia in your family?'
It is also claimed Mr Burnett said in Mr Owens’ earshot: “Black men and white women. It’s wrong. It’s disgusting.”
Mr Owens also claims a black member of staff was called ‘Eddie’, after comedian Eddie Murphy, and ‘Chalky’.
Other claims of alleged verbal abuse towards Mr Owens were of a homophobic nature, including staff members singing Price Tag by Jessie J in a camp voice, asking him to bend over, and touching his bottom.
Mr Owens has stated to the hearing he is heterosexual.
There were also claims that a colleague, Lee Hardy, called Mr Owens a paedophile and made jokes about Jimmy Savile.
When Mr Owens complained to managing director Steve Rosher about the comments it is claimed Mr Rosher asked him: “Can I just ask why the paedophilia jokes are so relevant? Is there some sort of paedophilia in your family?”
Mr Owens has filed an official complaint of harassment against EQC on the grounds of race and perceived sexual orientation.
In his witness statement Mr Owens said: “The homophobic, racist, paedophile and other sexual abuse or ‘jokes’ continued until just before my dismissal on around a weekly basis.
“I continued to complain verbally to my managers, albeit on a less frequent basis... when I simply gave up.
“The reaction was the same i.e. they would ‘get it sorted’ or it would be laughed off.
“The matter was never ‘sorted’, other than the Swastikas being removed from the toilets, although they continued to appear on pieces of paper.”
EQC deny all the allegations and all of the colleagues made subject of the allegations deny making the comments.
'Humiliation and depression'
Speaking at the tribunal Gareth Graham, representing EQC, questioned Mr Owens about why some allegations he had originally made were left out of the Scott Schedule, a table setting out certain information about his claim.
He also questioned discrepancies in the dates of certain allegations, including when photographs of Swastikas in the warehouse were taken by Mr Owens as evidence.
Mr Graham said: “It makes it look like it’s not true. They’re certainly contradictory and inconsistent.
“You have come to this tribunal complaining of harassment and two of the things you have mentioned are not in the Scott Schedule.
“All you’re being asked to do, Mr Owens, is to set out what you say people said.
“To report what they said, not what they meant by it, and there have been a number of occasions where your ET1 (another legal form) is inconsistent with the Scott Schedule.”
see full story at - http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/let-black-b-starve-worker-10419557
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