AN IRISHMAN who was called ‘pikey’, ‘gyppo’ and ‘paddy’ during board meetings has been awarded over £280,000 by an employment tribunal.
Father-of-one Edward Bell, 52, was also told he looked like a 'tinker' and asked where he had left his 'horse and cart,' before being wrongfully fired for ‘whistle-blowing.'
At one social event, Mr Bell, who lives in Didsbury, was told he was the only person who could wear good clothes and still ‘look like a gypsy.'
According to Manchester Evening News, Belfast-born Mr Bell said line manager Sid Barnes made life miserable from the first time they met, remarking on his “strong and thick” Irish accent.
Mr Barnes was his immediate boss and one of the most senior figures at the recruitment giant.
The abuse got gradually worse, escalating after he raised concerns about the £21m takeover of a rival company by his employers Cordant, one of the UK’s largest recruitment firms.
An employment tribunal in Manchester upheld his claims of harassment related to race and unfair dismissal because of making protected disclosures.
In a letter of grievance to HR head Ken Steer he wrote: “I believe SB (Sid Barnes) saw me as a potential whistle-blower, sought to get me out of Cordant.”
Mr Bell said the abuse worsened after he told Mr Barnes that Cordant had purchased recruitment company Staffgroup Ltd at an over inflated price of £21 million, providing him with what he believed were falsified invoices.
Mr Barnes was particularly friendly with Staffgroup co founder Paul Flynn as they were former colleagues and was also on good terms with the other founder, Mark Znowski.
The judge said: “We consider Mr Barnes’ friendship with the MDs of Staffgroup Ltd to be significant.
“The affiliation with Staffgroup would be consistent with Mr Barnes reacting badly to the claimant raising protected disclosues relating to the conduct of Staffgroup.”
Speaking after the written ruling Mr Bell, who earned £90,000 a year working at the company’s Manchester base in the city centre, added: “My family lineage has some Romany. It’s about abuse of power by bullying.
“A lot of it happened during board meetings. But we all know when banter stops and racism begins. It was demeaning and derogatory.”
Tribunal chair Judge Hilary Slater said: “The claimant asserts this harassment started from his first meeting with Mr Barnes and continued throughout his employment - particularly when they attended business meetings around the country and the attendees met in the bar for a drink after the meeting.”
It started when they were introduced at a coffee shop at Euston station in January 2015 and Mr Barnes said: “You have a pretty thick Irish accent, don’t you?”
At a meeting at Woburn Abbey the following April he said Mr Barnes - referring to the new company car policy - told him he would be able to upgrade to a “new horse and cart.”
Later, during a group drink, he told the party Mr Bell was the only person “who could wear good clothes and still look like a gypsy.”
Mr Bell was put on garden leave at the end of September 2015 and given six months notice, which expired in March 2016.
Mr Barnes forced him out with false allegations of poor performance and replaced him with a friend at an over inflated salary, the tribunal heard.
Speaking after the tribunal Mr Bell said: “I was effectively sacked for being a whistleblower. I was prepared to take the racism on the chin.”
Mr Bell, was awarded £283,472.03 which included loss of earnings, bonuses, pension, life assurance, long-term illness insurance and injury to feelings.
He has since applied for over 100 jobs - including roles as a delivery driver, a manager with Aldi and at a call centre - without success.
He said his ability to obtain comparable employment was “severely hindered” by the manner of his dismissal.
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