Union wins pay for trade unionist sacked by TNT

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1 February 2008

Global delivery firm TNT has been forced to continue paying a union member it sacked from one of its UK depots after he was elected to represent members in the workplace.

A Bristol employment tribunal ordered that Dave Reeves’ contract be continued; he was dismissed in December by TNT following attempts by his managers to stop him representing his colleagues who worked at night on loading bays at the Yate TNT depot in Bristol.

Announcing the order, the employment judge stated that there was a good chance that Dave Reeves was dismissed because of his activities at the UK ITF-affiliated UNITE union and his proposed position.

Unite regional industrial organiser Pam Jennings said: "The lengths to which TNT has gone to stop Dave Reeves representing the interests of his colleagues at TNT Yate are astonishing.

"First, local management decided that they would not allow him to be a shop steward because they weren't happy with how he had been selected. So, we arranged a fresh system of nomination and election. But that wasn't acceptable to the company either.

"Despite misgivings, I agreed to hold a further election. Then, surprise, surprise: TNT sacked Dave Reeves before Christmas, claiming that an accident in which he sustained shoulder and back injuries, and for which he had not claimed any compensation, was a fake.”

Michelle Cronin of Thompsons solicitors, who represented David Reeves on behalf of Unite, commented: "The case of David Reeves is another clear demonstration of the importance of belonging to a trade union which can defend workers' interests."

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