The director of the label R&S Records, a dance company R&S Records, Renaat Vandepapeliere, was the subject of a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination rejected by an Employment Tribunal.
Raj Chaudhuri, who acted as a talent scout, filed a lawsuit against the label in 2012 and claimed the title discriminated against him in a way, was unlawfully dismissed and was a victim.
The label stated that it could be “no truth” in “spurious” claims.
An arbitration tribunal located in London has now decided that the case can’t proceed since Mr Chaudhuri was a freelancer and not an employee.
Mr Vandepapeliere said he was “delighted” at the result.
“This last two year has been absolute hell for me and my partner Sabine, my family, and the artists on our record label,” the singer declared.
“My artistic policy for R&S Records has always been inclusive, and Raj Chaudhuri knew that. He also knew that allegations of racism would have a devastating impact on me and my business.”
Mr Chaudhuri did not comment on the decision. However, his lawyer told him he plans to appeal the decision.
The label was launched in Belgium back in the year 1984. R&S Records has released many of the most influential electronic music tracks, such as Joey Beltram’s Energy Flash to Aphex Twin’s Selected Ambient Works 85-92.
In his application before the tribunal for employment in his employment tribunal claim, Mr Chaudhuri claimed that he has repeatedly tried times to “diversify the label and the artists it worked with” However, he was to be deterred or criticized.
He claimed that certain BAME artists he praised were considered “terrible” and “crap”.
He also claimed that Mr Vandepapeliere was dismissing music from ethnic minorities as “meaningless” and describing the techno’s history as being “very white”.
Mr Vandepapeliere has repeatedly denied the allegations, The label.
“Mr Renaat Vandepapeliere is certainly not racist, and everyone at R&S Records embraces equality,” said Sabine Maes. In a statement issued at the time, she is also the wife of Mr Vandepapeliere.
“Erratic and irregular.”
The tribunal didn’t decide on the merits of Mr Chaudhuri’s allegations. It ruled that his case wasn’t included in the Equality Act as he was not “in employment under a contract to personally do work” for the company.
“He was an independent freelancer and an entrepreneur,” said Judge Victoria Wright in her judgment. “Once he had met [Mr Vandepapeliere], he saw an opportunity to align himself with [R&S Records], to benefit his own reputation as a DJ (and all of the other activities he pursued).”
She cited emails written by Mr Chaudhuri that declared himself “a freelancer” who undertook “various works for lots of different projects and personal work as well”.
His PS700-a month contract to identify and suggest talent for R&S Records was “erratic and irregular,” she wrote.
Mr Chaudhuri “was free to choose how and where to do the work, or not to do it at all. ”
“The claimant did not need protection, was not vulnerable and was not being exploited,” she added.
“Champion and Supporter”
In response to the ruling, R&S Records said it was “a world-class label working with music’s top creative artists signed for their ability to write and produce great tracks irrespective of colour, creed or gender”.
Mr Vandepapeliere said: “Differences of opinion over music and artistic direction on the world of record labels are an issue; however, mischaracterizing these as racial or ethnic discrimination is wrong. It weakens the very basis of combating racism and is a mockery of people who have been genuinely fighting against inequality.
“Dance music is always about uniting people via the commonality and passion for electronic music regardless of race, colour, religion, or sexuality.
“I was always a big advocate and advocate for original artists. A signing with an artist’s name is about their talent, and the music they compose and produce is what the label is about.
“As the tribunal Judge found, my priority is, ‘the integrity of the music R&S Records produced’.”
In an announcement, Mr Chaudhuri’s legal counsel, Lawrence Davies, said: “We are about to appeal the ruling in the Employment Appeal Tribunal because we consider it essential that self-employed workers enjoy the benefits of Equality Act 2010 protection.
“Further, it is important to note that the tribunal did not examine or decide upon the underlying substantive allegations of racism.”
