An Indian labourer has been awarded £31,464 after a Watford employment tribunal ruled that contractor Shrico dismissed him unfairly.
Raju Salat worked as a general labourer on a Hindu temple being built at Ealing Road, Wembley, but was dismissed in August 2002 after a row over his request for a contract.

The tribunal sitting last week found that Salat was unfairly dismissed, and awarded him 12 months' wages in addition to his other losses.

Salat had also been assisting construction union UCATT with organising and translating on behalf of site workers who had been brought in from India to work on the temple.

UCATT London official Michael Dooley said Salat, who is a British citizen, had suffered simply because he asked for a contract of employment.

Two years ago Shrico was at the centre of a row after being accused of bringing workers from the Indian subcontinent and paying them 30p per hour. The workers eventually received back pay of £100,000.