COUNCIL workers who challenged a colleague for saying asylum-seekers “should be shot” have lost their jobs, their union said today.

GMB warned Guildford Borough Council could now face legal action.

It criticised the authority’s response to staff complaints over a temporary worker’s remarks which they felt were “racist, homophobic, transphobic and anti-immigrant.”

A union spokesman said that the complainants are yet to receive a response to concerns they raised with HR in October, despite Acas guidelines that state employers should deal with grievances in a timely manner.

Since making the complaint they have been told funding for their jobs have been cut, putting them at risk of redundancy despite suitable alternative roles being available, said GMB.

One staff member, who wants to remain anonymous, said: “I am very aware that what I heard was racist, homophobic, transphobic and anti-immigrant.

“The member of staff was overheard talking in what I felt was a racist way about people and told the service user that he wasn’t privileged like others who received all the benefits and hadn’t even been born here.

“He then went on to allegedly suggest those looking for asylum ‘should be shot.’

“He then moved on to discussing those wearing dresses in a similar discriminative fashion.

“Why is it us losing our jobs and not the alleged racist?”

GMB regional organiser David McMullen said: “Guildford Borough Council need to start taking complaints about racism and discrimination seriously or face legal challenges at a potential cost to the taxpayer.

“Our members feel victimised by the whole process and GMB will be looking to escalate the issue if the matter isn’t resolved in a satisfactory and timely fashion.”

The council said in a statement: “We are not able to comment on individual employment issues. However, we take a zero-tolerance approach to bullying, discrimination and harassment and investigate any complaints of this nature thoroughly.”