Sunday People

YOU WORK IN RAIN.. BRITS CAN STAY DRY Filipinos made to do pylon work in the wet get £42k racism pay-out

- By Alan Selby by Karen Rockett

RACIST bosses forced Filipino staff to climb pylons in the rain while British colleagues stayed in the dry.

Workers who complained were told to “shut their mouths” or be “sent back to the Philippine­s”, an employment tribunal heard.

Cardiff-based Voltcom Group also made the men work through illness, while UK

ANDREW Gregory swings into action as one of the world’s top pole dancers – with only one leg.

The 47-year-old hairdresse­r had to have his left leg amputated in February 2018 following a horrific motorbike accident. But he took up pole dancing and became the first Brit to win workers got time off and sick pay. Now the firm has been ordered to pay the three victims – Michael Narzoles, Randy Pajimolin and Benigno Tabang – £42,000 each.

Judge Stephen Jenkins ruled they had suffered racial discrimina­tion and were unfairly sacked from their jobs taking down overhead power lines.

Judge Jenkins said: “If unsafe working conditions arose due to bad weather, then where a gang was made up of a mix of workers they were allowed to stop working. By contrast, where gangs were made up exclusivel­y of Filipino workers they were obliged to continue working.

They were always told that if they did not work, they would be sent back to the Philippine­s.”

They were sacked in 2015 for not wearing seatbelts driving an off-road work vehicle.

Judge Jenkins said they had been summarily dismissed unfairly and awarded each £32,000 plus £10,000 for emotional stress.

 ??  ?? GOLDEN BOY: Andrew shows his moves at London Dance Academy
LIFE-CHANGING: After 2018 amputation
WINNER: On prosthetic leg
GOLDEN BOY: Andrew shows his moves at London Dance Academy LIFE-CHANGING: After 2018 amputation WINNER: On prosthetic leg
 ??  ?? HIGH AND DRY: Voltcom power line staff at work
HIGH AND DRY: Voltcom power line staff at work

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