Blackwood worker was sacked for swearing (From Campaign Series)

Blackwood worker was sacked for swearing

5:32pm Monday 5th July 2010

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A BLACKWOOD factory worker was awarded £6,000 after he told an employment tribunal he was sacked for swearing at his boss.

Keith Bodman took his case against former employer Yuasa Battery (UK) Limited in Ebbw Vale to an employment tribunal on the grounds of unfair dismissal.

Part way through the tribunal, the employers settled the claim. The Cardiff tribunal ordered the valleys firm to pay Mr Bodman £6,000.

Mr Bodman said he had a clean work record and had not missed a day’s work in his 16 years at the factory when the incident happened last August.

The machine operator claimed he swore at his line manager after he was quizzed about his private life.

He claimed he was suspended the next day for two weeks before being dismissed.

Mr Bodman appealed against the decision but he was not allowed to return to work.

Thompsons Solicitors, who represented Mr Bodman, argued that Yuasa Battery had treated Mr Bodman differently from other employees who had previously used bad language.

Mr Bodman said after the settlement: “I’m not proud of the language I used that day but the factory floor was a very male environment where bad language was commonplace. I didn’t feel I was being aggressive and my foreman and colleagues confirmed that so I was shocked when I was told I was being suspended.”

No one at Yuasa Battery was available for comment.

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