August 12, 2016 4.56 pm This story is over 92 months old

Gainsborough bus driver ‘refused’ job interview as he is not Romanian

A Gainsborough bus driver claims he lost out on a job with a bus firm as they were only hiring Romanians. Peter Kennedy, 45, sent his CV to a recruitment agency after seeing an ad saying ‘EU bus drivers wanted.’ He said that he was prepared to relocate to Watford, some 150 miles away, where…
The bus driver claimed he was refused a job interview because he was not Romanian. Photo: David Anstiss

A Gainsborough bus driver claims he lost out on a job with a bus firm as they were only hiring Romanians.

Peter Kennedy, 45, sent his CV to a recruitment agency after seeing an ad saying ‘EU bus drivers wanted.’

He said that he was prepared to relocate to Watford, some 150 miles away, where Arriva was seeking 30 drivers to work 38 hours a week.

According to The Sun, the advert said: “Category D driving licence, EU citizen, one year’s experience, English speaking, clear police check. To pass a medical.”

Peter claimed that an interview was arranged but was told the day before by Arriva that the jobs were only for Romanians.

He told The Sun: “It’s totally unfair. They didn’t even give me a chance.

“I’m a British driver but it seems I don’t stand a chance of getting a job in my own country. I don’t know if it’s because these Romanians are cheaper or what.

“They’d made up their minds before they even posted the ad. Honest workers like me aren’t even getting a chance.”

A spokesperson for Arriva said: “On occasion, to ensure that all vacancies are filled with the most suitable candidates, we employ agencies that specialise in personnel from overseas.

“Candidates undergo the exact same interview process as those of British residency. We always encourage applications from any individual, regardless of their present address.”