A WOMAN who quit her job at a British factory over allegations of racism says her claims were dismissed as ‘banter’.
Dublin-born Lorraine Boyle alleges that she was mocked for being Irish while working at Northamptonshire-based IVG White, a subsidiary of Irish food firm Keelings.
She cites receiving an email of a potato dressed as a leprechaun with the subject matter ‘You’ as just one of several instances of anti-Irishness and bullying she suffered.
Ms Boyle, 30, lodged a complaint with the company’s management after leaving her job last November. But although an internal investigation acknowledged what she had suffered was unacceptable, it declared it to be “banter”.
“Having taken everything into account I do not believe you have been subject to bullying or racism, or that any offence was intended,” wrote a senior IVG White employee in a letter to Ms Boyle seen by The Irish Post.
He added: “I find there was/is a culture of banter that went on in the office which you contributed to along with other staff members. I do accept that such banter is dangerous and should not be accepted in the workplace.”
Northamptonshire-based IVG WhiteDespite finding that Ms Boyle had not suffered racist abuse or bullying, he then promised to organise staff training “to stop repeat incidents of this nature occurring”.
Ms Boyle said she is now receiving advice about whether or not to take legal action against Keelings.
The company is also threatening to take legal action following Ms Boyle’s claims.
In a statement released to The Irish Post, Keelings said it “does not allow or condone any form of bullying in the workplace”.
A spokesperson for the company said it would not be commenting on the details of Ms Boyle’s allegations “not only because they do not discuss personnel issues in public, but also because this story is with their lawyers and will end up in litigation”.
“I felt it disgusting that a company so closely linked to Ireland could allow abuse of an Irish member of staff,” Ms Boyle told The Irish Post. “My heritage was constantly mocked.”
The Tallaght native, who has lived in Britain since she was 12, said she had “never” been targeted because of her nationality before. “I worked hard. I am a nice person,” she added.
The mother-of-one claims she felt she had to to quit her job as an administrator at the factory when she “couldn’t take it anymore”.
“I was taking 100mg of anti-depressants a day and I was drinking a bottle of wine a night,” she said.
