Motor Industry KPI and best practice provided by Jeff Smith

 

Sales staff who walked out of Evan Halshaw’s Citroen dealership in Bradford and their supporters demonstrate over alleged racial comments.

 

Scores of people chanted “black and white unite” as they protested outside a Bradford car dealership in support of seven workers who walked out accusing a manager of racism.

 

About 50 people joined the workers yesterday in support of their stance against the Evans Halshaw dealership, in King’s Road, where staff walked out the day before after a human resources investigation apparently exonerated a colleague who had been accused of racism.

A spokesman for Evans Halshaw said there had been a thorough investigation and they had taken proportionate action.

The crowd waved placards bearing slogans of “Stop Racism” and “multi-cultural Britain”.

It is believed the car dealership closed its doors at 1pm ahead of the protest in the late afternoon.

Tahir Farooq, who resigned as a business manager, said he was disappointed that no one from the company had come out. The 27-year-old, who has worked for the company for five years, said:

“The company’s handbook says there should be instant dismissal for racist comments but the company is doing nothing. They are saying nothing to anyone.”

Staff complained after the area manager was allegedly heard telling an Asian sales manager who was not feeling well that he “did not like black people”.

A few weeks later, as a second Asian worker was walking into the office, the area manager is said to have made comments about being approached by “a black and white minstrel” – an incident witnessed by five people.

The men – three of them white – were supported by family, friends, customers and passers-by yesterday and will today be taking legal advice.

Salesman Joe Norris, 54, has only worked at the company for a week but walked out because, he said, he felt he had to make a stand.