Firm 'wanted a Welshman but not a Pakistani' - Engineer claims racial discrimination

A Pakistani-born engineer claimed yesterday that his job application was rejected by a construction firm because of his foreign-sounding name.

Qamar Malik, who moved to south Wales with his family more than 30 years ago, said that when he later submitted an application to the same company using a fictitious Welsh-sounding name he was granted an interview.

At an employment tribunal in Cardiff, Mr Malik, 49, who lives in the city, is claiming racial discrimination against Amec Group.

He said that when he telephoned Lyne Bowen, office manager for the firm in Treforest, South Wales, last year she indicated the company could find him work.

After e-mailing his CV to Amec, Mr Malik was told on November 8 that the company had already seen his CV when it was forwarded by an agency and had no suitable vacancies.

He decided to compose a similar CV, but with inferior qualifications, under the name Rhyddir Aled Lloyd-Hilbert. Mr Malik said the Treforest office of Amec responded "positively" to this application within three hours of it being e-mailed.

Amec denies racial discrimination. Miss Bowen said Mr Malik was rejected for a site engineer's vacancy by one manager. Another manager thought Mr Lloyd-Hilbert might be suitable for a different vacancy of quality inspector.

The hearing continues today.