British worker files discrimination lawsuit after being fired from Hong Kong company and called a ‘gweilo’ by staff
Blasting specialist, seeking damages and a written apology from Leighton Contractors, claims he was also not allowed to hire other workers from Australia
A British blasting specialist was called a “gweilo” at work and was excluded when he was hired on a Hong Kong tunnel project, according to a discrimination lawsuit he filed against his former employer.
Francis William Haden also said that Leighton Contractors (Asia) did not let him hire blasting specialists from Australia, even though Hong Kong was short on people with the skill, because a partnering firm on the Tseung Kwan O-Lam Tin tunnel project did not want non-Chinese involved.
He filed the equal opportunities action against Leighton on Tuesday, asking the District Court to declare that the company’s conduct had violated the Race Discrimination Ordinance, after he was dismissed on February 28 last year.
Haden, who is also an Australian citizen, was seeking damages and a written apology from the firm, and demanded that it put in place anti-discrimination training for staff.
“The claimant was made to feel unwelcome and frozen-out because he was not Chinese,” said the writ filed by Oldham, Li & Nie Solicitors on his behalf.