So I have been sacked for racial abuse...

Matikata

Well the girl in mention, I worked with her once, then she hasn't worked there for like 3 months and just showed up to the party.

And no there's nothing like that, everyone does as they please to be honest, no one really passes judgement on each other about anything (that I know of at least, I know it in the security side, don't fully know about bar/backstage)

rachie_2011

Matikata wrote: »

Drinks were free all night.

They won't be next time!

Pricivius

First things first, how long have you been employed by this company? Until we know that, we can't tell whether you have gained certain employment rights.

As for whether racial abuse can be offensive to those who are not of the race being abused, the Equality Act sets out the definition of harassment as below. Please note, whether we agree with it or not, B does not have to have the relevant characteristic.
A person (A) harasses another person (B) if
(a) A engages in unwanted conduct related to a relevant protected characteristic, and
(b) the conduct has the purpose or effect of—
(i) violating B's dignity, or
(ii) creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment

19lottie82

OP, I understand why you feel hard done by, I really do and I would feel the same in your situation.

Yes, a lot of people make similar jokes but you need to remember what some people see as “harmless banter”, a few people won’t have the same attitude.

Political correctness is cranking up a notch, all the time these days and you simply can’t risk making comments like these, especially to people you work with, even if you do consider it a “friendly joke”.

As advised, be very careful when out drinking with colleagues, a lot of the time it can lead to trouble, for various reasons.

I hate to say it but I think you just need to move on and take this as a lesson learned.

Matikata

Pricivius wrote: »

First things first, how long have you been employed by this company? Until we know that, we can't tell whether you have gained certain employment rights.

As for whether racial abuse can be offensive to those who are not of the race being abused, the Equality Act sets out the definition of harassment as below. Please note, whether we agree with it or not, B does not have to have the relevant characteristic.
A person (A) harasses another person (B) if
(a) A engages in unwanted conduct related to a relevant protected characteristic, and
(b) the conduct has the purpose or effect of—
(i) violating B's dignity, or
(ii) creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment

I've been working there since Feb 2012.

I appreciate all the comments guys, it's good to get a different opinion from my own now and again, however I still feel it's unjust as I haven't been able to defend myself to my employers, who will now walk about their daily life thinking I'm something I'm not.

paddedjohn

Another month and you would have hit the magic 1year.

19lottie82

Matikata wrote: »

.....my employers, who will now walk about their daily life thinking I'm something I'm not.

Not necessarilly OP. You need to look at it this way, in reality, your employed HAD to act on what they were told. They are a well known organisation. Can you imagine this had got out and it became public knowledge that they had been inforrmed that an employee had been making racist remarks and they hadn't sacked them? There was no way they could have taken that risk.

Pricivius

As paddedjohn alludes, you are unfortunately unable to bring an unfair dismissal claim as you have not been employed for 1 year from your start date in February 2012. Your employer therefore does not need to follow any sort of procedure. Your only recourse in terms of a tribunal claim would be if you were suggesting you were discriminated against, but it doesn't sound as though that is your argument.

I'm afraid, this is a lesson that you have learnt the hard way. No matter how much the person you are talking to is not bothered by any racist jokes or sexist one-liners, if someone else overhears and takes offense, you are potentially in trouble. This may seem ridiculous and we may not agree, but that is the law on the issue. I have recently been involved in a claim concerning banter in the workplace and whilst it was petty and ridiculous and every joined in and no one took offence until someone was dismissed for something completely unrelated, the claim was brought and had to be defended.

Uncertain

Pricivius wrote: »

As paddedjohn alludes, you are unfortunately unable to bring an unfair dismissal claim as you have not been employed for 1 year from your start date in February 2012. Your employer therefore does not need to follow any sort of procedure. Your only recourse in terms of a tribunal claim would be if you were suggesting you were discriminated against, but it doesn't sound as though that is your argument.

Another month and you would have hit the magic 1year.

A week's statutory notice counts towards the year so if the OP started on the 1st of February it is worth checking dates very carefully.

phill99

There is a major problem in this country now of 'racist ignorance'. We are unable now to discuss race in whatever context without the over sensitive brigade deeming it racist. There is nothing wrong with referring to someone as black if it is in the correct context. But most people don't seem to understand this.

If the person this was aimed and did not find it to be offensive, I can't help thinking your line management are firing off the hip. It is absolutely ridiculous and completely out if proportion.

Th wort thing this country ever did was set up the Race Relations Board in the 1970's because all of a sudden race was at the top of the agenda and people didn't know how to handle it. Allied to this was the introduction of positive discrimination in the (primarily public sector) workplace which has only lead to resentment as sometimes poor quality candidates are promoted over more competent people simply because of their skin.

It's all barmy now.