Network Rail Worker Secures Additional £36,669 in Landmark Discrimination Case
A female train signaller has been awarded a further £36,669 in costs after winning a significant discrimination case against Network Rail, bringing her total compensation to £174,681. Rowena Owens successfully sued her employer following a five-year legal battle that exposed systematic sexist behaviour at the Wimbledon signal centre in London.
Systematic Harassment in Male-Dominated Workplace
The employment tribunal in Croydon heard disturbing details about the working environment Ms Owens endured from November 2015 onward. At the Wimbledon signal centre, where only two or three women worked among approximately forty staff members, she faced persistent harassment from at least sixteen male colleagues.
On her very first day, when Ms Owens offered to make tea for colleagues, a male signaller referred to as 'RS' asked her "how do you like your oral sex, giving or receiving?" This set the tone for what would become a pattern of inappropriate behaviour throughout her employment.
Pornography and Explicit Content in the Workplace
The tribunal documented multiple incidents where male colleagues watched pornography openly in the office. In December 2016, colleague 'MB' watched a pornographic video while on duty and exclaimed "there's nothing like a bit of dwarf porn" while his son sat beside him.
Male colleagues regularly left newspapers open in the kitchen displaying images of naked women. When Ms Owens closed these publications, she would return to find them reopened to the same explicit pages. Another colleague, 'RS', was observed looking at images of nearly naked women on a work computer.
Deliberate Intimidation and Exclusion Tactics
Beyond overtly sexual harassment, Ms Owens faced systematic intimidation and exclusion. Colleagues 'AF' and 'MB' would walk behind her while she worked and deliberately burp loudly as they passed. On one occasion, 'WC' sat next to her and burped continuously for over fifteen minutes until she felt compelled to ask if he was alright.
For weeks afterward, multiple male colleagues would burp during shifts with her while loudly saying "excuse me." The tribunal heard that male colleagues made "deliberate and gratuitous use of the word c***" around her "on practically every shift" she worked.
Sexist Comments and Exclusion from Workplace Activities
Ms Owens reported hearing colleagues question whether women should be in the workplace at all. On at least three occasions, 'PT' made comments like "do you think women should be in the workplace?" and "I think women should be in the home" while she was the only woman working.
She was referred to as "the fat woman" by colleagues who would whistle the Laurel and Hardy tune or play the Antiques Roadshow theme song near her. Ms Owens was also excluded from takeaway orders when male colleagues ordered food and was not provided with a vegetarian option at a team meal despite specifically requesting one.
Escalation to Formal Complaint and Tribunal Proceedings
In November 2017, Ms Owens submitted a formal grievance highlighting these concerns, but Network Rail dismissed it. She subsequently launched a claim of sex discrimination at the employment tribunal, where the panel ruled that all twenty-five incidents she complained about constituted sex discrimination.
Employment Judge Anne Martin ruled that Network Rail had acted unreasonably in defending the case, stating: "The Tribunal considers that it was unreasonable conduct for [Network Rail] not to have conceded that allegations 1-25 took place. [Network Rail] had upheld [Ms Owens'] grievance."
Legal Victory After Initial Setback
Initially in 2022, the tribunal panel ruled that although Ms Owens had been a victim of sex discrimination, she had brought her case too late and her claims were dismissed. However, she successfully appealed this decision, and when the case returned to the tribunal, Network Rail admitted liability and damages were awarded.
The additional £36,669 in costs brings her total compensation to £174,681, including the original £138,012 payout awarded in 2024. The tribunal noted that "the circumstances of this case are the exception rather than the norm" in awarding costs against Network Rail.
Network Rail's Response and Workplace Culture
Network Rail admitted that "in such an environment foul language is sometimes used" but stated it did not condone this behaviour. Regarding the pornography incidents, the company said it "did not condone any sort of pornographic material in the workplace and all employees have been trained in diversity and inclusion."
The case highlights ongoing challenges in male-dominated industries and raises questions about workplace culture at one of Britain's major rail infrastructure providers. The tribunal's detailed findings paint a picture of a hostile work environment where sexist behaviour became normalized over an extended period.
