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Spanish worker dubbed 'Manuel' sues over taunts
Tim Stewart22.01.09
A SPANISH electrician who was allegedly nicknamed "Manuel" by workmates after the Fawlty Towers waiter is suing his former employer for nearly £30,000.
Juan Ignacio, originally from Barcelona, says he was routinely taunted with the famous "I know nothing" and "Que?" catchphrases used by Andrew Sachs's sitcom character.
Mr Ignacio, 33, claims that bullying bosses mocked his accent and jibed "He's from Barcelona", in front of others - the standard excuse made for Manuel by John Cleese's Basil Fawlty.
He alleges his managers at a private London hospital branded Spain a "Third World country" and asked whether they had electricity.
Mr Ignacio, who has lived in Britain for five years, also claims that he endured constant homophobic abuse even though he is not gay.
He is suing private hospital group HCA International, which owns the London Bridge Hospital, and his alleged tormentors - the hospital's estates manager Chris Sweeney and chief engineer Richard Metcalfe - for race and sexual orientation discrimination, harassment and constructive dismissal, as well as injury to feelings.
In legal papers submitted to Croydon Employment Tribunal, Mr Ignacio said: "When we used to watch Fawlty Towers in Spain in Catalan, we laughed at ourselves as we have a sense of humour.
"But with these people it went beyond a joke and became nasty. They made me feel bad, like an idiot. I found it offensive. You cannot judge people by the country they come from - especially when they are good at their job, as I was. I can take one or two jokes but when it is systematically repeated every day it hurts."
Electrician Mr Ignacio began work at the hospital in the summer of 2006 as a £23,000-a-year building services engineer.
He claims the insults continued until his resignation in December 2007. He said: "Mr Metcalfe frequently mocked my accent. He quoted lines from the TV programme at me such as 'I know nothing' and 'He's from Barcelona'. He would often call out to me 'Que?' Until my resignation, Mr Sweeney and Mr Metcalfe made anti-homosexual remarks against me. I am not homosexual but found the remarks offensive."
A second hospital worker, Pole Marcin Lukomski, 30, is also suing HCA and the two managers for £23,000 on the same grounds. Handyman Mr Lukomski claims he had no choice but to quit his £21,000-a-year job in May after enduring a torrent of racist abuse, including the insults "f***ing Polish", "f***ing foreigners" and "useless, stupid Pole".
HCA and the two managers deny both men's allegations. The case will be heard next month.
Reader views (31)
The English have perfected the art of taunting, sniggering and psychological bullying, then turning around and saying: 'But you're foreign, you don't understand our humour.'
- Patrick, London
I've been in London for vacation, and many times my boyfriend and I where treated badly (museums, shops, etc) because of our accent/ignorance of local habits, even though we where as polite as we could.(Always a smile on our faces!)
On the other hand some English people where really friendly and helped us spontaneously when noticed we where lost.
The cultural differences are big, and British "coldness" surprised us very much, but that’s why you travel, isn’t it?
I don’t think this man’s problem had anything to do with sense of humour. There are good people everywhere, there are also stupid people everywhere. England, Spain, everywhere.
- Sara, Spain
re: Ann, London
Our priority was faster service, not cheap food. Not even for free (served in US at happy hours) I would expect an inch thick grease/oil floating in my bowl. Have travelled/lived in 20+ contries, never a problem with food paid or unpaid.
My argument here is if you do not like a country no one will compel you to live or visit there there. Period.
- David, London
In response to David from London. I think it is common practise anywhere in the world to pay in restaurants/pubs. I guess that not all restaurants in the UK are a showcase of high-cuisine, are they?
I think that rather not coming back to the country, I'd rather pay for my stuff and not come back to the restaurant and try some place that is less on the cheapy side. English people that go to Spain looking for cheap, get exactly that: Cheap!
- Ann, London
Years ago we got arrested in Spain for refusing to pay for a set lunch menu which looked utterly disgusting and we refused to eat. It is quite legal in the UK but obviously not in Spain. We have never spent another day in Spain and never will.
My advice is that if you don't like a country then don't return/live there. Easy solution.
- David, London
This reminds me of the large automatic machine my company sold into Mexico. We had to send service people because the machine would never work on the nightshift. Turns out there was an AUTO/MANUAL button on the main console and the overnight operator was Manuel.
- Frank, ex-England
Been a South American in Spain is 100 times worst than been a foreigner here, the spanish are the most racist in europe, anyway taking people to court is a right and we should not generalize, as an electrician here they will make you feel miserable, show your smile and laugh, I bet you had made some foreigners in spain feel the same and here you can take them court at least, you must be strong and smart to be here thats why I love UK come on England!!!!
- Tito, London
Does he not have a sense of humour. He is lucky he has a job perhaps he should return to his own country if he is unhappy here.
- Anon, England
Juan Rey - the British are well known for laughing at themselves too. If we heard the jokes you make in Spain, 99% of people would laugh them off, say something more or even come back with something. We would not however, try to sue. I think this show humility. Perhaps the Spanish should develop more humility or is it only the Spanish humour that is acceptable to a Spaniard?
Daniel - loved your comment.
- E Sullivan, London
Martin, maybe you should face such a situation while abroad and you maybe understand how's being away and mistreated. Easy though, that of yours!
- Sergio, London
Actually the Catalan version of Fawlty Towers had Manuel coming from Mexico, so this guys assertion that they laughed at themselves is a bit off the mark...
- Steve, London
Hello, I'm from Spain. I read the news in a Spanish newspaper and wanted to know the views of their country.
Apparently we are not so different, we defend ourselves. But a continuing joke is an insult. Imagine, you come to Spain to work and start calling them every day for several British actors nonsense, every day, ad nauseam. How do they feel? Well, that. Be humble.
- Fernando, Móstoles España
If any moneys awarded were to be considered a fine that would be put to good use for the good of society, I might have some sympathy (if it turns out to be true). I would certainly be impressed if he were to donate any funds awarded to a worthy cause, his point having been made.
...but if his 'hurt' can be assuaged by the filthy lucre put into his own pocket, then it suggests only that he can be bought and paid for.
- Rogan, Irving
I'm not sure which bit of 1984 this reminds you of, Jane. I just don't want to live in a country where people can be racially abused with impunity. It's not that sinister, is it? I've been to a lot of countries where people are more openly racist than they are here in Britain, and I once saw a couple being attacked on a train in an eastern European country simply because of their ethnic background. I've no idea what the details of this case will turn out to be, since a news report has far too little detail. But I do know that it will be based on the laudable principle that racial abuse, if it's proven to be that, is wrong. Fewer than one in five cases that go through a full employment tribunal hearing are successful, and yes claimants do sometimes pay costs. Which bit of all this is so scary?
- Nick, London
I'm from Catalonia, Spain, I don't believe what this Spanish guy say.
Any time in more than 6 years in Uk I had any problem
- Gm, Nottingham
I've worked with english people in Spain and all of them are good frieds with humor sense. On the other hand, "mobbing" is not humor sense, and have not country or people
- Nemesis, SPAIN
Someday, the anglosaxon empire will fall. And i hope it´ll be soon
- Tok, Madrid
Martin, easy money earned in England and then, once you are retired, enjoy it in Spain paying my health problems the Spanish Social Security (with better standards than the English ones). People work where they can and get retired in the sunny Andalusia...where jokes are made once or twice not constantly as in this case...
- Luis, Seville, Spain
I am English and lived in Spain for ten years, during which time I had to endure intolerable racial abuse and simple-minded xenophobia.
- Al, London Uk
We have a lot of humor in Spain... We have a lot of jokes about English people too. And amazing culture...
Probably you need more humility.
- Juan Rey, Madrid (ESPAÑA)
I have been living in London for decades working hard but happy. Still, why didn't anybody tell me about this suing thing, I would be a multi-millionaire by now. I am French and gay.
- Daniel, London
The word got around, easy money to be made in England.
- Martin, London
Definitely a money gaining complaint. Both workers should be happy they had a job paying so much money to work in this country.
- Brenda Rutherford, London, England
Nick, people like you should become fully fledged members of the thought police. Not only is Orwell's horrific prediction almost reality the government are so successful in their scheme that the people are actually starting to believe in it. Scary, very ver scary.
- Jane Bewick, london
I regularly get the mickey (i'd prefer to use the sronger word)taken out of me by groups of Poles as I dress differently but seeing as I can't understand them,cannot do anything about it.
All I'm saying is if you can't take it,don't live/work here.There's always someone willing to have a pop these days.
Me?I'm stuck with this place.
- Steve, London
This man's sense of humour has nothing to do with the case. I'm delighted to live in a country where people can't be picked on because of their race - the alternative is a thousand times worse. There might at times be disproportionate compensation, but that's the price for living in a decent, kind, open, tolerant and fair society that tries to give everyone a chance. And yes I'm sure the tribunal will be fair - they have high standards and we often hear about cases that are lost as well as those that are won.
- Nick, London
Surely overcoming these harmless Spanish jibes is just a case of mind over matador?
- Keith, Kings Cross, London, UK
Thin skinned, after the money or both?
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke
The problem with claims like this, is that with compensation levels so high, there is always a feeling that the system is being milked - for £30,000 anyone can call me anything they like.
Also employmwnt legislation at the moment places far too many risks and burdens on the employer. What we need know is to lessen these burdens and risks to encourage employers to employ.
One question someone might be able to answer - when an employee loses a case - is he/she responsible for costs?? If not (as I think it is) why not??
- Jeremy E, London
Can someone tell him to get a sense of humour.
- P I Staker, London
ha ha ha, what a joke... OK Guys now try and do the same in your own country and see what happens, don't you think UK countrys rib each other, especially the english and scots but we don't sue each other. Ive had worse at school and I suppose most of the population has.
- Dc, London
