A MAN who claimed he was a victim of race
discrimination at work agreed to settle his case for £3,250 at a Brighton employment tribunal.
Jibreal Hagan reached a financial settlement with his former employers, Eurotherm Recorders Ltd,
Worthing, on the second day of the hearing.
Mr Hagan, 45, of Brougham Road, Worthing, had told the
tribunal he was called a "nigger" by a former manager.
He claimed he was forced to resign from his job as technical operator in July last year after
suffering discrimination during the 13 years he worked for the company.
After the case, Mr Hagan, who was represented by Worthing Citizens Advice Bureau, said he was delighted with the result. He added: "I feel vindicated.
"I was only after equal opportunity and fairness at work. I feel the company have learnt a lesson."
Mr Hagan, born in Ghana, claimed compensation for constructive dismissal and race discrimination. The company denied his allegations and claimed he was treated fairly.
Mr Hagan, who found a new job days after leaving Eurotherm, accused the firm of treating him differently from white workers. He said he was passed over for promotion and reprimanded for trivial matters.
He told the hearing he decided to resign after evoking the firm's grievance procedure. He believed his complaints were not fairly investigated.
He told the tribunal in 1987, a year after he joined the firm, he was called a "nigger" while working at Eurotherm Controls at Durrington. He said: "My manager at the time referred to me as a nigger. I was upset by the incident. He was exhibiting the attitude of the colonial powers.
"Over the years I have repeatedly applied for promotion and further training but I failed.
"I have been denied progress and reprimanded for trivial
matters."
He said he was treated differently to white
colleagues on a number of occasions.
The final straw came when he was transferred to the assembly line without his agreement.
He said: "I felt degraded."
Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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