A woman has been awarded £1,500 by the Employment Appeals Tribunal because it found her trade union activity had contributed to her dismissal.
The woman, who was employed by Procut Engineering, Co Cavan, suggested to other employees they should join a union after some workmates were sacked. She made contact with the local SIPTU office and circulated a letter to colleagues asking them to join the union.
She told the tribunal she was subsequently confronted by her manager, who said she could leave if she was not happy with her job. The woman was then told she was being dismissed because of her poor attitude, poor punctuality and poor performance. The company said she had performed well initially but that absenteeism and timekeeping became a problem. Her probationary six months had been extended as a result. Initially, her work improved but then deteriorated. Her manager denied any knowledge of her trade union membership.
However, the tribunal found that while her absence from work had contributed to her dismissal, it was also satisfied her trade union activity had been a factor.