Why is it us losing our jobs and not the alleged racist, ask GMB union members
GMB union is warning Guildford Borough Council to take the complaints of its members seriously or face action.
Members of staff who are also union members have raised a complaint about a temporary worker employed by the council who was overheard making remarks they feel were “racist, homophobic, transphobic and anti-immigrant.”
The complainants are yet to receive a response to the concerns raised with HR in October despite ACAS guidelines stating employers should deal with any grievance in a timely manner.
Instead in the meantime they have been told funding for their jobs have been cut and have been put at risk of redundancy despite suitable alternative roles being available.
One anonymous GMB member said:
“I am very aware that what I heard was racist, homophobic, transphobic and anti-immigrant.
“The member of staff was overheard talking in what I felt was a racist way about people and told the service user that he wasn’t privileged like others who received all the benefits and hadn’t even been born here.
“He then went onto allegedly suggest those looking for asylum ‘should be shot.’
“He then moved onto discussing those wearing dresses in a similar discriminative fashion.
“Why is it us losing our jobs and not the alleged racist?”
David McMullen, GMB Regional Organiser said:
“Guildford Borough Council need to start taking complaints about a racism and discrimination seriously or face legal challenges at a potential cost to the taxpayer.
“Our members feel victimised by the whole process and GMB will be looking to escalate the issue if the matter isn’t resolved in a satisfactory and timely fashion.”
