What would you do in this situation

[jonnytruckfest]

Well having no clue who/where to turn to I thought I would give it a shot here. I have been suspended from work and been told to go to a disciplinary hearing on Thursday. But my question is can this be turned on them with them making this out to be a health and safety issue when people high up break health and safety regulations day in day out....

Incident in question I was put onto store returns this morning, which is on one side of the warehouse where you are more or less left to get on with things so out of the way of moving traffic e.g forklift, moving people/pallet trucks etc. I thought as a one off to get my headphones in the phone and listen to some of my music to drown out the crap they play out the speakers but bare in mind I only had the one earphone in so I could hear people if they spoke to me or fire alarms as such etc....I went through the first 5 hours of my shift sailing through my work no problem with my headphone in working away but then said shift manager caught me with the earphone in as I was shifting some totes to the ADD to be processed etc. He told me to take the earphone out etc and clearly [zb] scared him seeing me knowing I'd be in a bit of crap for it expectedly but not as much as I actually did

My line manager pulled me into the office (by instruction of shift manager to give me a 'talking' too) and I explained to my line manager I only had the earphone in to block out the radio they play over the speaker system in the warehouse. But I took responsibility in that I shouldn't have done it and it wouldn't happen again and considered it as a verbal warning about it. So back to work as normal or so one thought to be pulled back into the office for the shift manager to give me my final 'talking' too. Of which he told me I was suspended with pay for breaching health & safety etc with having the earphone in my ear and when arranging to sort out a date to go back to 'discuss' the matter further I had problems as I had time booked off for next week (Family holiday) but was told to go in on Thursday at 1pm for this meeting.

I understand that it's completely my fault for being a tit and having the earphone in my ear, but my argument/s lay with the fact the shift manager breaches health & safety every day walking about the warehouse with no steel toed boots so how can he give me lectures about health & safety when he breaches the most basic H&S regulation in the warehouse and he isn't the only person to do it because the general manager is just the same And I'm pretty sure it isn't one rule for one and a different rule for the other. Also the fact I was pulled into the office twice by different people about the same matter Surely if I was to be suspended I should have been suspended the first time I was pulled into the office not the second time especially right after each other

I don't expect sympathy from anyone just advice as to what I could do to potentially save my job if I can. And peoples opinions on what they would do. Obviously leave the earphones at home next time

And for those who don't know the shift manager is a power hungry bully who does abuse his power in a way to intimidate other workers and often threatens with peoples jobs just to ensure they don't mess up.....if this can be used in any form..

Cheers

Jonny

[keynes]

If you are part of a union I'd try to contact them, I'd also try to get some legal advice before the meeting. I don't think it would be a good idea to mention that your manager breaches health and safety regulations or use him as an example. Sorry to hear that and I hope it goes well.

[vanthus]

If you have done something against company rules then you don't really have much,if any comeback.
Depending on how much you need the job either accept the punishment or tell them to stick it.

[jonnytruckfest]

Thanks for the comments folks, And lol well I have 4 days to find myself a new job and then I'll be able to happily tell them to shove their job! Either way I'm thinking a pure honest opinion on the whole situation would be a good way to go around it....may not think that at the time though lol....

[keynes]

Thanks for the comments folks, And lol well I have 4 days to find myself a new job and then I'll be able to happily tell them to shove their job! Either way I'm thinking a pure honest opinion on the whole situation would be a good way to go around it....may not think that at the time though lol....

I am not sure what the company policy is but I'd try to be more optimistic regarding the meeting, maybe it is a further verbal warning or just a suspension rather than a termination of your contract. I'd not tell them to shove their job but always leave a job in amicable terms in since it is part of your CV and work experience.

[DeadEyeDuk]

I would certainly request that the douchebag shift manager not be present (to whomever is in charge of the meeting). That way if they raise any other issues, you won't have a bully there trying to tell them lies to discount what you say

best of luck though Mr Truck

[tom_gr7]

I wouldnt know wht to suggest I'm afraid, but hope it goes ok for you.

[jonnytruckfest]

Well updating on my situation, something I'm not too happy about. The manager who caught me with my earphone in my ear is incharge of the investigation at work now correct me if I'm wrong but if there are people above him he shouldn't even be taking a look into the investigation other than to give his version of events?? A bit annoyed to say the least but here's hoping it leads to something good......

[tom_gr7]

Can you call your union? if ya in one?

Or go to citizens advice mate (defo do this either way mate)

[DeadEyeDuk]

I would agree, it cannot be right that someone directly involved in the incident is leading any talks/disciplinary procedure, that just smacks of a stitch up to be honest. Citizens Advice is a good call tom (or union, but I never trust them on the whole ).

Best of luck again.