Formal Complaint of Racism- Help!

[OhBollocksFuck]

I've NC as this is quite outing.

I work in the back office (10 people, all women, desk work) doing logistics for delivery drivers (27 people, mostly men, out and about all day).

We've had a bloke called Steve (not his real name) working as a delivery driver for years. Steve is black. Then another Steve came. So the original Steve became known as 'black Steve', which he's completely fine with, and new Steve became 'white Steve' which he's also fine with. We also have 'Short Trev' and 'Tall Trev' for two blokes called Trev. They're descriptions just to differentiate.

A new woman has started in the back office with us and asked me the other day what to do with an order which needed express sending. I told her to give it to 'black Steve' for various reasons. She's seemed quite nice, a little bit up-tight perhaps but that's usual when starting a new place.

Fast-forward to today and my manager has called me in the office to let me know that this new woman has put in a complaint about me using racist language. He's arranged a formal meeting with me and her for next Friday to talk through the complaint and see 'where we go' (his words). I'm in a union so I've got a union representative coming with me but I'm completely flawed by it.

I don't know what to do. I'm trying to remain calm and professional with this woman but I'm angry and upset. I don't want to mention anything to black Steve but, at the same time, it feels odd that there's all this going on with him being at the centre but him not really knowing. I also know that if I did mention it some of the drivers would take issue with her and I don't want them to get themselves into any trouble either.

I don't know what I'm asking really TBH. just some words of wisdom and advice from MNers would be breat!

I've seen this alot of mn when there are race topics.

Bubble, i find you have an interesting take on this, it has been somewhat different to my own but to challenge, debate and put things out in the open about political correctness and avoiding stereotyping and discrimination can only be a good thing.

I do feel that whilst i accept your points about the Steves being the only ones who have a right to complain about racism, I actually agree with numerous other posters who've talked about professional working environments - summed up nicely by Venus.

I think the blatant racism here is that it's been made all about Black Steve and White Steve has been ignored. As the issue is using race as a nickname then they both should be called in, have letters written to them etc.

Actually it is not true that the two Steves are th only ones with the right to complain .
Other employees have the right to complain despite not being the 'victim'
The moral of this story is that one has to be careful in the workplace

Some years ago in a previous job we had Big George and Moroccan George. How about that?

If I started work at this place there is no way I would want to use black Steve as a nickname.

Where does that leave me?

Haven't read the whole thread, just the first few replies.... Am I the only one who sees calling the Steve's "Black Steve" and "White Steve" as not being a problem seeing as "Black Steve" started calling himself that himself? IMHO half the problem with this whole 'racist minefield' is white people getting offended on behalf of black people! Of course it wouldn't be correct under most circumstances, but I remember growing up with a family friend who was commonly called "Big Black N**r daddy!" A name that the man in question made up himself and used to get upset when people refused to call him that because he felt that if he wasn't offended then they were being racist by deciding for him what he should be offended by based on his skin colour! (I hasten to add that I never would've referee to anyone else by any of those terms as I understand why they are not used, but I'm just making a point, a point that I realise is totally and utterly annecdotal and wouldn't apply to everyone as many DO get offended, but..... Oh dang it I hope you get what I mean!)

In this case I do think the woman was wrong to go straight to management without even trying to mention anything to OP beforehand.... Surely starting with a "I find that very innapropriate and racist please stop!" Would've done the job! and then watch the look on her face when the Steve in question introduced himself to her for the first time and wonders why she looks so confused that he looks so casual and she's so uncomfortable

Btw, I'm not saying that the woman was wrong to be offended assuch - just that she handled it in the wrong way. If she just said "please stop" and explained why and tried to enter into informal conversation about the whole thing then I'm sure her, OP and all collegues could come to an agreement, whether that be to stop the nicknames or not. Why go straight to the boss with a complaint without at least making an effort to understand first? (And then go to the boss after if not satisfied with the answer/outcome?)

For gods sake, stuff like this really annoys me! You weren't being racist just because you referred to a black man as 'black steve'

Racism is pre-judging and discrimination based on someone's race - did you at some point say 'black Steve is useless at his job because he is black'?! No you didn't. Some people genuinely don't mind the fact that they are a different colour being mentioned, why pretend we are all the same when we aren't?! It's so ridiculous.

Saying that, I would suggest you are apologetic and avoid getting yourself into further trouble. But I really don't think you need to beat yourself up about it OP

And before anyone gets on their high horse, I'm black myself!

It's a difficult position for the company to be in. They can't ignore the complaint. And the culture definitely needs looking at - what if a new colleague started who was black? They are entitled to have an issue with people being referred to by their skin colour.

I don't see how black and white Steve is worse than big and small Steve? I actually think it's all about context.

For all OP knows, new colleague could have a black husband and mixed race DC.

What about requesting training for the whole workforce when you go to the meeting on Friday? That would show you were willing to work towards constructive solutions, would tackle the overall work culture and nobody would come away with a black mark (unless new colleague is really out for blood).

Blu I didn't say there were problems in Stockwell park estate for white people I just said as a white woman (but could also apply to any other race) that I'd feel unsafe going there after dark that's mostly due to the knife and gun crime which is still prevalent in the area. There was something in evening standard about knife and gun amnesty but that was on Tulse hill estate. Having said that though in past few years gang crime has been tackled on estates.

BubbleGumBubble - I have to take serious issue with the training you say you have received. This situation is covered under the Equality Act 2010 s26(1) which states that person A harasses person B if they engage in unwanted conduct related to a protected characteristic and this creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for B. In terms of this discussion the important point is that B does not have to the person who has the protected characteristic nor does the unwanted conduct have to be aimed directly at them. Indeed, A could be engaging in unwanted conduct related to their own protected characteristic, so, in this situation, black Steve could be harassing the new starter by referring to himself in that way.

You are right that it is not specifically against the law to have a girly calendar in the workplace. However, if anyone, male or female, finds them offensive they must be removed or the company may be guilty of harassment. Even if the person who put up the calendar is the only woman in the workplace, if any of the men object it must be removed.

In the OP's situation it would have been better if the new starter had talked to other people before lodging a formal complaint. It may be that, if she knew Steve chose the nickname himself, she would have accepted it. Even if she did not, the situation may not have become so confrontational with people using nicknames loudly and frequently to be awkward. As it is management is probably going to have to step in to sort things out but it would be wrong to single out one person and discipline them for something everyone has been doing for a long time, especially since management has apparently previously accepted this practice.

My feeing is that there has been no discrimination just description, similar to tall Steve and short Steve.

That said, even though I don't think it's wrong to use such descriptive terms, i wouldn't actually use the terms myself because of the professionally offended. I know I'm not racist but others don't and there is just too much scope for people getting the wrong end of the stick as in this case.

Good luck to you OP.

I would agree there does not appear to have been any discrimination in that no-one has been treated less favourably because of their race. However, if the new starter finds the nicknames offensive there has been harassment.

So where does this leave Steve? He didn't want or ask for any of this, but he's been put in the middle of it. As far as we know, from what op has said, he's been called into a meeting, told that he can't use his preferred name, told that he's going to get a letter of apology which he doesn't want, all of which has been applied only to him and not to any other member of staff. Can he now complain of harassment?

To be honest I think Steve could make a complaint of both harassment and discrimination about the way the company have dealt with this given that he's been singled out because he is black and the other Steve hasn't, and the implication that there is something negative about being called black as a descriptor but not white. It may affect how other colleagues treat him. It's quite a tricky one and not at all clear cut.

This happened to me, except I was 'white Steve'. At a school I worked in another member of (non-teaching) staff started to call herself The Black Ms Green and me The White Ms Green in order to differentiate between us. The kids used it too. No one ever complained about it, and although I used to try and instigate something else like Miss and Mrs, the other staff member thought it was great. I'm not saying it was right and I'm not saying that in hindsight maybe I should have tried harder, but it was slightly out of my control. I wouldn't do it now, but I'm not in my early 20s now.

OP what was the result?

Sorry for not updating sooner on this. The weekend was really busy with visiting family so didn't get chance to get on MN.

Everything's been okay the past couple of days. I've been calling all colleagues nothing but their name and keeping my log of potentially offensive nicknames.

Then yesterday we reached a bit of a stalemate. The meeting was due to happen this Friday (sorry for the confusion, I realise the OP makes it sound like it was last Friday, my stupid phrasing) but yesterday the woman told my manager that she would be bringing along her H for support.So yesterday afternoon, I was told that her H would be in the meeting.

I said I would not be discussing my work performance with random family members in the room. I'm obviously more than happy for union members or other 'official' sources of support to be present but no way will I be discussing a formal complaint made against me about a very serious issue with some random bloke in the room.

The manager has gone back to the woman who's made the complaint and she's said that she will feel 'outnumbered' (her word) if she doesn't have support so won't go to the meeting without her H there. The manager has suggested ACAS or the union for this support but I don't know how that went down.

So, the meeting's still penciled in but looking unlikely as she's not keen on anyone but her H being there to support her.

Steve's pretty pissed off with the whole situation and being dragged into the middle of it.

He's not pissed off with me. He's pissed off with the new woman (because she didn't go to him and, instead, used him as a sort of case in point) and with the manager's handling of it (as PP said, he's being dragged to a meeting he doesn't want to go to and will receive a letter of apology he doesn't want).

He's planning on coming along to the meeting and letting rip on the manager for the handling of it and the new woman for presuming she can speak on his behalf. In fact he's quite looking forward to the meeting.

Other drivers have toned down their loud and exaggerated use of nicknames from last week and are just using everyone's nickname as usual. They've all been really supportive of me. They're professional with the new woman but no jokes, pub visits, lunch etc. the way they do with other women in the office.

I said I would not be discussing my work performance with random family members in the room. I'm obviously more than happy for union members or other 'official' sources of support to be present but no way will I be discussing a formal complaint made against me about a very serious issue with some random bloke in the room

You did the right thing...