Black Council Worker Awarded £15,000 After Racial Abuse and Dismissive Management
An employment tribunal awarded £15,000 to a Black council worker who experienced serious racial abuse and subsequently faced dismissive treatment from managers at West Berkshire Council.
)
According to BBC UK, a Black council employee who endured 'serious racial abuse' and encountered 'dismissive' management after lodging a complaint has been granted an award of £15,000.
The woman, who was part of West Berkshire Council's Youth Justice Support Team as an intervention worker, was subjected to the abuse by two boys in April 2024. The tribunal determined that an authority manager appeared to believe that absorbing such abuse was simply 'part of the territory'.
She commenced her employment with the council in July 2023 and subsequently resigned in June 2024. When she raised concerns with managers regarding the racial abuse, the managers reportedly concentrated on her reaction after she addressed the boys as 'little boys'.
The tribunal concluded that the worker had experienced 'severe provocation' and that the council 'failed to recognise the seriousness and unpleasantness of the [boys'] racial abuse'.
David McMullen, a senior organiser for the GMB union who assisted the woman in her case, stated that she was 'treated horrendously in the first instance and this was further compounded by management at West Berkshire Council'. He also asserted that racism has no place in society and that employers have a duty to protect staff from such treatment.
A spokesperson for West Berkshire Council stated that the council respects the tribunal's findings and intends to carefully consider the issues raised. The spokesperson also added that the safety and wellbeing of staff is of extreme importance to the council, and that the council does not accept abuse, discrimination, or harassment directed at its employees, committing to supporting colleagues when such incidents happen.
)
)
)