OneNamedNameLess
29th August 2009, 22:59
More ridiculous nonsense from the world of work:
A TRUCK driver accused of drawing a BEARD on a picture of one of his bosses has been booted out of his job.
William Hendry, 45, who had clocked up 18 years service with Renfrewshire Council, was given his marching orders after a snap of Shona MacDougall, the councils director of environmental services, was doctored.
The screensaver image of Ms MacDougall on a council computer was altered to give her a comedy goatee.
But Mr Hendrys bosses failed to see the funny side and, after carrying out an investigation, they summoned him to a disciplinary hearing, where he was sacked.
The dad-of-one, from Glenburn, Paisley, insists he is innocent and lodged an appeal against his dismissal but was unsuccessful.
Now Mr Hendry has said the incident which has been dubbed Beardgate has made it impossible for him to find another job.
He told the Paisley Daily Express: My disciplinary hearing was a kangaroo court. I had absolutely nothing to do with this.
I have had an unblemished record. Id never been disciplined before this and Id never had a day off sick in 18 years.
I was called to a meeting and asked if I had been involved in downloading a picture of Shona MacDougall and drawing a beard on it.
I told them that it was me who had found the image and removed it but then I got the blame for putting it there in the first place. I was shocked.
They brought in 14 witnesses for the hearing but not one of them could say for definite that it was me. However, the council only have to use the grounds of probability to sack you. They decided it was probably me.
Im unemployable now. I cant get a job because Ive got gross misconduct against my name. Its a black mark.
Mr Hendry claims council chiefs wanted him out after he accused the local authority of incompetency.
A decade ago, he reported the councils parks boss Colin Garrow to senior officials.
Mr Garrow was sacked as a result and Mr Hendry has gone on to raise further issues with council bosses but he claims that earned him a reputation as a troublemaker.
I was promised protection for reporting Colin Garrow but it never happened, said Mr Hendry. I was made to work with people who were implicated in his case and there was always a feeling of animosity towards me. I have also raised a variety of issues and questioned their operations and, because of that, I was seen as a troublemaker.
What is it with all of these daft sackings recently?
Full story here http://www.paisleydailyexpress.co.uk/renfrewshire-news/local-news-in-renfrewshire/2009/08/28/worker-sacked-for-drawin-beared-on-picture-of-his-boss-87085-24548804/
It all sounds very suspicious.
A TRUCK driver accused of drawing a BEARD on a picture of one of his bosses has been booted out of his job.
William Hendry, 45, who had clocked up 18 years service with Renfrewshire Council, was given his marching orders after a snap of Shona MacDougall, the councils director of environmental services, was doctored.
The screensaver image of Ms MacDougall on a council computer was altered to give her a comedy goatee.
But Mr Hendrys bosses failed to see the funny side and, after carrying out an investigation, they summoned him to a disciplinary hearing, where he was sacked.
The dad-of-one, from Glenburn, Paisley, insists he is innocent and lodged an appeal against his dismissal but was unsuccessful.
Now Mr Hendry has said the incident which has been dubbed Beardgate has made it impossible for him to find another job.
He told the Paisley Daily Express: My disciplinary hearing was a kangaroo court. I had absolutely nothing to do with this.
I have had an unblemished record. Id never been disciplined before this and Id never had a day off sick in 18 years.
I was called to a meeting and asked if I had been involved in downloading a picture of Shona MacDougall and drawing a beard on it.
I told them that it was me who had found the image and removed it but then I got the blame for putting it there in the first place. I was shocked.
They brought in 14 witnesses for the hearing but not one of them could say for definite that it was me. However, the council only have to use the grounds of probability to sack you. They decided it was probably me.
Im unemployable now. I cant get a job because Ive got gross misconduct against my name. Its a black mark.
Mr Hendry claims council chiefs wanted him out after he accused the local authority of incompetency.
A decade ago, he reported the councils parks boss Colin Garrow to senior officials.
Mr Garrow was sacked as a result and Mr Hendry has gone on to raise further issues with council bosses but he claims that earned him a reputation as a troublemaker.
I was promised protection for reporting Colin Garrow but it never happened, said Mr Hendry. I was made to work with people who were implicated in his case and there was always a feeling of animosity towards me. I have also raised a variety of issues and questioned their operations and, because of that, I was seen as a troublemaker.
What is it with all of these daft sackings recently?
Full story here http://www.paisleydailyexpress.co.uk/renfrewshire-news/local-news-in-renfrewshire/2009/08/28/worker-sacked-for-drawin-beared-on-picture-of-his-boss-87085-24548804/
It all sounds very suspicious.