INdustry colleagues have rallied round Institute of Travel and Tourism chief executive Linda Gibson in her legal fight to prove she is not a racist.
Gibson, who has held the top role at the ITT for 14 years, faced an industrial tribunal last week brought by former employee Gina Superville. She claims Gibson discriminated against her because she is black.
But the tribunal, held in Bedford, heard statements from Thomson communications director Russell Amerasekera and ITT student president Kofi Ohene-Djan claiming neither had ever experienced any discrimination from Gibson.
Amerasekera, who described her as a ‘close friend and trusted business colleague’ said:”She is one of the most open-minded people that Ihave ever met. Ihave never had case to doubt her integrity.
“If it was not such a serious matter it would be almost laughable that she has been accused in this way.”
However, the tribunal heard evidence that Gibson had once allegedly berated Superville for her lack of African history knowledge, telling her ‘I am blacker than you’.
Superville began working as an office manager at the ITT in April 1998, initially on a one-month contract. She claimed Gibson told her the role would be made permanent but her temporary contract was repeatedly extended every two or three months.
Superville told the Bedford Industrial Tribunal that Gibson told her the reason she could not employ her permanently was because she was black.
Superville’s management responsibilities were taken away from her and given to a new employee and she was demoted to work in the mail room.
Superville, now a credit-card administrator at Gullivers Travel Agency in London, said:”No-one else at the ITTworked on a temporary contract. I was treated like this because of my colour, not my work.”
Gibson denied saying she would not give Superville a permanent contract because of her colour.
She said Superville did not have enough experience for the role and had lied at her interview, falsely claiming she had experience of the computer package the ITT uses.
The tribunal was continuing as Travel Weekly went to press.