BOSSES at Blackburn Citizens' Advice Bureau have been urged to resign after an industrial tribunal upheld claims that a former worker was a victim of racial discrimination.

Robina Naseem is in line for a compensation payment after taking her former employers to an industrial tribunal in Manchester.

The 32-year-old mother from Burnley said she was appointed manager of the Blackburn advice centre two years ago and was put on probation for six months.

She claims the probation period was extended by three months but the management committee then decided not to keep her on.

Salima Sameja, who works for Lancashire police, resigned from the management committee in protest at the decision. He also gave evidence on Mrs Naseem's behalf at the tribunal.

Mrs Naseem said: "When I first took up my job there were a number of incidents but I put them down to me being new in the office. "I never thought my colour was an issue but it slowly began to dawn on me what was happening was racially motivated.

"When my probation period was extended I was given objectives which I felt were impossible to achieve and around that time I lodged a complaint.

"The CAB will have to pay me compensation but no amount of money will ever make up for what I have been through.

"The whole affair has affected my health and put a lot of stress on my family life and my marriage."

Mr Sameja said: "I felt I had to resign from the management committee because they had already made up their minds about Mrs Naseem when she was on probation.

"I also felt I was a token Asian person and I was not happy about what was happening.

"I think in the light of this decision the management committee should all resign immediately."

A spokesman for the industrial tribunal confirmed Mrs Naseem's complaint of racial discrimination had been upheld and that compensation will be awarded in the near future. The tribunal will publish its formal findings in four weeks.

Peter Turner, chairman of the CAB, refused to comment until he had been officially informed of the tribunal's outcome.

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