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A black employee at West Berkshire Council has been awarded £15,000 after enduring serious racial abuse and experiencing unsupportive responses from management following her complaints. The woman, who worked as an intervention worker within the council’s Youth Justice Support Team, encountered the abuse in April 2024 when two boys directed racial insults at her.
The subsequent employment tribunal held during the summer revealed that council managers suggested to the worker that facing such abuse was simply part of the job. Despite her raising concerns, the focus from management shifted to her reaction, particularly after she referred to the boys as “little boys,” rather than addressing the racial abuse itself. The tribunal concluded that the woman had been subjected to “severe provocation” and criticized the council for failing to acknowledge the gravity of the racial abuse she endured.
David McMullen, a senior organiser for the GMB union who supported the woman through her case, condemned the treatment she received. He stated, “She was treated horrendously in the first instance and this was further compounded by management at West Berkshire Council.” He emphasized that racism has no place in society and that employers bear the responsibility of protecting their employees from such mistreatment in the workplace.
In response, a spokesperson for West Berkshire Council said, “The safety and wellbeing of our staff is extremely important to us.” They reaffirmed the council’s commitment to supporting employees and stated, “We do not accept abuse, discrimination or harassment directed towards our employees and we are committed to supporting colleagues when incidents occur.” The employee had joined the council in July 2023 and resigned in June 2024
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