Accrington lorry driver's sacking 'unfair' (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Accrington lorry driver's sacking 'unfair'

1:42pm Tuesday 15th December 2009 in

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A LONG-distance lorry driver who was sacked following an alleged row with a customer has been awarded thousands of pounds in compensation.

An employment tribunal ruled Paul Wyer, 46, of Spencer Street, Accrington, was unfairly sacked by haulage firm, J Hayward & Sons of Walsall Ltd, after one of its main customers made a complaint following an alleged quarrel at a factory in Hull.

Mr Wyer was left out of work for seven weeks after the dismissal and, because he had been sacked, was unable to claim unemployment benefits.

J Hayward and Sons, which also has an office in Accrington, said it was forced to sack Mr Wyer because the customer in question, MacAndrews and Company Ltd, was one of its biggest customers and had asked that Mr Wyer not be used for future deliveries at the site.

However, an employment tribunal in Manchester ruled that Mr Wyer was automatically unfairly dismissed because his employer had failed to follow the correct disciplinary procedures, including a failure to notify Mr Wyer of his right to appeal against the decision.

The level of compensation has not been revealed.