Pole loses discrimination fight against Swedish zoo
Published: 21 Jan 13 11:39 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/45732/20130121/
A Polish employee who took a Swedish zoo to court for discrimination has lost his case as the district court ruled on Monday that he had reported the alleged crimes too late.
- Man gets payout for not shaking woman's hand (20 May 13)
- 'Not all discrimination in Sweden is racism' (14 May 13)
- Expert faces threats for 'apartheid bus' comment (3 Apr 13)
He claimed that the zoo was run like an "old-fashioned feudal system," with a strict top-down structure.
In a recording of his dismissal, played up in court in December 2012, a manager is heard screaming at Wilk:
"You think you're better than others. Take your things and go to hell. You're behaving like a damn monkey."
Wilk claimed that he and other Poles worked 10-hour days without a weekend or time off while the zoo's Swedish staff worked a regular 40-hour week.
While Swedes were paid 14,000 kronor ($2,160) per month, the Polish workers got 6,800 kronor plus room and board, he said.
"I was discriminated on the basis of my nationality. But everyone who works with discrimination issues knows that it is hard to prove. Discrimination is hidden," Wilk told the Barometern newspaper.
Wilk was asking for 1 million kronor in damages, but now that the district court has ruled that the alleged crimes had passed the statute of limitation, he will be obliged to pay the zoo's legal bills.
TT/The Local/at
Follow The Local on Twitter
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
Riksbank unveils new board members
Sweden's central bank has appointed two new board members plucked from banking and academia to replace two outgoing members, one of whom was an outspoken critic of the Riksbank's commitment to the government's inflation goal. READ () »
350 jobs lost as Ericsson shuts Swedish factory
Swedish telecom giant Ericsson has buckled under the pressure of European competition and will turn off the switch on a cable production plant in Sweden, leaving 350 employees without jobs. READ () »
Sweden has 'lower tax burden' than Senegal
While Sweden has a reputation for having one of the most painful tax bills in the world, a new report ranks Sweden 20th when comparing the tax burden on salaries when social security payments and salary brackets are taken into account. READ () »
Ericsson probed over suspected bribes
Swedish telecom equipment maker Ericsson is suspected of having bribed ministers in Romania in connection with being awarded a contract for the country's emergency number and is now under investigation in the United States. READ () »
Warning over 'long-term' Swedish export slump
Sweden's largest business confederation has gone out guns blazing, criticizing politicians for not facing up to the challenges of "a lost year for Swedish exports" in 2012. READ () »
'Lean hospital a sign of Swedish welfare reform'
A Stockholm hospital saved from closure by private health care providers has been hailed by the Economist as one of modern's Sweden public-private success stories. READ () »
H&M mulls production in South America and Africa
Swedish clothing giant H&M is looking into the possibility of sourcing its production to South America, Central America, and even Africa, chief executive Karl-Johan Persson said on Monday. READ () »
Nord Stream plans new gas pipelines
Gas pipeline firm Nord Stream will hold an information meeting on the Baltic island of Gotland on Monday to introduce a proposal to extend its controversial gas pipeline project. READ () »
'Sweden next in line for housing market crash'
Sweden tops a list of countries that risk suffering a housing market crash, Germany's Commerzbank has warned, citing the slackening off of Swedish property prices as a harbinger of a potential downswing. READ () »
Solna voted best place to live in Sweden
Solna, a suburb just north of Stockholm, is the best place to live in Sweden, according to a new ranking published on Friday by Swedish news magazine Fokus. READ () »
- 17/05 LinkedIn profile lands Swede with hefty tax bill »
- 16/05 India in no rush to open first Ikea store »
- 16/05 H&M CEO to Bangladesh: raise minimum wages »
- 15/05 Sweden plummets in income equality ranking »
- 15/05 Pensioners to recruit ageing Swedish rockers »
- 15/05 Swedish shop hits back: our Converse are real »
- 15/05 Young Swedes forced to live with mum and dad »
- 14/05 Converse in bid to ban 'fake' shoes in Sweden »
- 13/05 Nordea tracked clients in secret 'black book' »
- 10/05 ABB executive to quit after five-year tenure »
| 23/05 | Java Developer (Turku, Finland)Academic Work | Turku |
| 23/05 | Product ManagerSafemind AB | Stockholm |
| 22/05 | Accountant to Bank of ChinaSjr Ab | Stockholm |
| 22/05 | Accountant to Bank of ChinaSJR AB | Stockholm, STHM |
| 22/05 | Accounting ManagerMichael Page | Göteborg |
| 22/05 | Accounting ManagerMichael Page | Göteborg, VTG |
| 22/05 | Analyse Engineer - Infotainment PlatformVolvo | Göteborg |
| 22/05 | Analyse Engineer - Infotainment PlatformVolvo Car Corporation | Göteborg, VTG |
| 22/05 | Application Owner AXNet Entertainment NE AB | Stockholm |
| 22/05 | Architectural Engineer #8409Aker Advantage | Stockholm |
- 23/05 Tax evasion 'OK for Joe Normal' say Germans »
- 22/05 Spain and Germany fight youth employment »
- 21/05 Car boss asks Merkel to rethink CO2 pledge »
- 21/05 SAP to hire hundreds of autistic IT experts »
- 18/05 Economists warn against German euro exit »
- 17/05 Germany cool to France's EU economy plan »
- 17/05 Au pairs rules relax for non-German families »
- 16/05 Germany refuses to slam French economic policy »
- 16/05 Capri-Sun drink wins false advertising award »
- 15/05 Anaemic economy feels winter chill »
- 15:37 Moving to Sweden (Questions) HELP
- 15:14 Freelancer needed to build a website
- 14:55 Is it save to keep money at forexbank?
- 14:43 International school in Lund
- 14:42 Markets in Gothenburg
- 13:40 Found out I'm pregnant!
- 13:37 Husby Riots and violence against the police...
- 12:44 Swedish Summer Language Classes in Malmö?
- 11:18 Bank account deposits
- 10:04 Lamination or Plastic surgery for Certificate
Individuals & Couples - Stockholm Beth Rogerson PhD - Clinical, Marriage & Family Therapist
Click or call 08-5580 1266 now
Create an account with Banc De Binary, the world’s most reputable binary options firm, and start cashing in today! You can start by practicing with our free $50,000 demo account.
www.bbinary.com
Expat counsellor & talk therapist offers counselling for stress, relationship issues, sexuality, culture adjustment & life coaching. Private & confidential. Stockholm or Skype. Contact me today! 08-559 22 636 or
CLICK HERE
Casa Birgitta in Algarve, Portugal. Reduced price in best location. Private estate on white sand beach. All amenities included. Book here today! edward_george1@hotmail.com
Find products and services that are specifically focused on English speakers living in Sweden!
FULL DETAILS
Your comments about this article:
The comments below have not been moderated in advance and are not produced by The Local unless clearly stated. Readers are responsible for the content of their own comments. Comments that breach our terms and conditions will be removed.
You sure these weren't lazy Swedes having a fika at your plant in Hoboken?
newjesreyballs: Suggest exercising a bit of caution when slinging about stereotypes, especially if you don't want them thrown back at you.
Too bad he lost, did they at least toss him some peanuts in consolation?
Given the fact that the recording of the dimissal exists, I am tempted to believe that this recording may have been arranged by the one who was dismissed, and who may have behaved on the day of dismissial in a way to illicit exceptional anger on the part of the manager doing the dimissing. One would do this if one was planning to blackmail the zoo for a million kronor, for example.
Agree that he should have been informed that his complaint was too late, but is is not impossible that the judge pulled out this 'complaint-was-too-late' technicality if he/she suspected that this was a blackmail attempt, and the judge felt he/she could do nothing else to protect the zoo from that blackmail.