A Black warehouse worker won a race harassment claim after a colleague wrote 'slave' on machinery. The intention was workplace grievance, not a racial slur. However, the tribunal ruled that the term violated the worker Seedy Fofana's dignity, creating a hostile environment. Employment Judge David Hughes stated that the word evokes the historical enslavement of Black individuals. Fofana's feelings of hurt were recognized as genuine, highlighting the sensitivity regarding slavery. The incident occurred at Window Widgets, where the only Black worker experienced humiliation due to referenced graffiti.
Employment Judge David Hughes emphasized that the term 'slave' evokes the enslavement of Black people in contemporary English, thus impacting Fofana's dignity.
The tribunal concluded that, despite the colleague's intentions, the word 'slave' created a hostile and humiliating environment for Seedy Fofana.
Judge Hughes noted that Fofana, as the only Black man at the workplace, would understandably feel hurt by the graffiti referencing slavery.
Bosses removed all graffiti except the one referencing slaving conditions, which Fofana encountered while working at Window Widgets.
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