Former Council Worker a Victim of Racial Discrimination
A former housing officer of black South African descent has been awarded £30,000 after a job at Edinburgh Council was withdrawn after a warning from an official at Stirling. Seg Naicker had formerly been a housing officer with Stirling Council. Three years ago, Stirling Council compensated Mr. Naicker after he had suffered racial harassment and discrimination. Both Stirling and Edinburgh councils awarded Mr. Naicker the sum after he was turned down for the job in Edinburgh following a telephone conversation between officials of the two councils. Stirling Council was said to have warned officials at Edinburgh that Mr Naicker was a “difficult person” who complained when he experienced racial harassment. Stirling Council was found to be two thirds liable and Edinburgh one third. Mr Naicker said: “To have a job snatched away from you, not because of your own shortcomings but because someone else has unfairly bad-mouthed you is a bitter blow. To have that happen because you stood up for your right not to be harassed because of your race is even worse.” “Mr Naicker had agreed on a settlement with Stirling Council which included a fair reference for potential employers,” said Peter Hunter, Unison’s Scottish legal officer. “Despite this, a council official took it on herself to deliver such a damning character assassination that Edinburgh Council officials changed their assessment of his employment prospects and withdrew their offer of a job. This was clearly done because he took Stirling to a tribunal when they treated his complaints of racial harassment inadequately.”, said Hunter.
Source: Ex-council Worker Wins Race Case, BBCNews.com, 10 July 2006
