Barnoldswick mechanic awarded £22,000 after being sacked for joining trade union

2:22pm Monday 10th November 2008

A MECHANIC who joined a trade union and was later sacked by a Pendle firm has won compensation totalling £22,000 at an industrial tribunal.

Dan Collins was warned against signing up to the GMB union when he joined Event Staging and Structures, based in Long Ing Lane, Barnoldswick, a tribunal heard.

And when he was discovered handing out leaflets for the organisation, Mr Collins found himself the subject of disciplinary action and was later fired, union bosses said.

But with the backing of the GMB Mr Collins, of James Street, Barnoldswick, took the company to an industrial tribunal, claiming unfair dismissal on the grounds of being a trade union activist.

Mr Collins and his union lawyers initially secured an interim judgement against Event Staging in August, with compensation payments ordered of £400 per week until the case was eventually settled.

This was confirmed at a full tribunal hearing in Manchester on Friday, with the compensation package totalling £22,859.

Company bosses still insist they didn’t sack him because of his union activities, but they made a financial decision not to contest the case.

Edna Greenwood, branch secretary of the GMB’s Burnley office, which backed Mr Collins’ case, said it was clear that he had been targeted because of his involvement with the union.

Mr Collins, who has now secured alternative employ-ment in Manchester, said that he had been encouraged to join the GMB as his girlfriend Rachel Higgins’ father Glen is the Burnley branch president.

Mrs Greenwood said that Mr Collins had been warned against joining the GMB.

Carl Ryder, managing director of Event Staging, said: “We took a commercial decision on the case, that is all I can really say.

“We conceded the case but we did not sack him for being in a union.”