News / Society

Pro-Brexit workers harassed by Remain supporters

Saturday, 13 August 2016 4:33 PM [ Last Update: Saturday, 13 August 2016 4:34 PM ]

A placard is held up by Brexit supporters at a demonstration in central London on July 13, 2016. © AFP

British workers who voted to leave the European Union (EU) in a referendum in June, complain that they have been experiencing harassment and “cultural bullying” from Remain supporting staff and employers.

The staff of four companies lodged legal complaints for being ostracized as a result of angry social media posts and office discussions about the vote, the Financial Times reported.

On June 23, some 52 percent (17.4 million) of British people voted to leave the EU after 43 years of membership.

The vote result caused political turmoil in Britain and sent economic shockwaves through the country as well as global financial markets. The pound has slumped to a record low against the dollar.

A pro-Brexit employee, who recently left his job at a public organization, told the Times that the level of anti-Brexit sentiment in the office had forced him to leave the job.

Protesters hold an anti-Brexit demonstration in central London on June 28, 2016. © AFP

“The anger was such that people temporarily abandoned the normal rules of conduct,” he said.

“The intellectual harassment that I experienced and the open hostility to my Brexit stance made me feel like an ideological outsider and it alienated me completely from my colleagues. It was like cultural bullying.”

Ed Stacey, head of the employment law team at PwC, a multinational professional services network headquartered in London, confirmed that “feelings are running high” in the wake of the Brexit vote.

“Employees have felt differently from how they may do during a general election because there has been so much intervention from employers,” he added.

Under a rule which came into force five years ago, employees who feel they are suffering discrimination or harassment for their “philosophical beliefs” can take legal action against their employers.

Stacey warned companies that made their preference known “may be more at risk” of action from the Leave supporting staff.

Racist and xenophobic incidents in workplaces have significantly increased in the wake of the referendum, according to the National Institute of Economic and Social Research.

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