Labour Court rejects union appeal over Henry Denny worker’s suspension

The Labour Court rejected the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union’s appeal and upheld a Rights Commissioner’s recommendation to reduce a worker’s unpaid suspension to one week. Its decision was signed on 13 December 1996. The union said the worker had asked for lighter duties because of a back injury, rather than refusing instructions, and had not been given an opportunity to defend himself. Henry Denny And Sons Limited said he refused two instructions and left his workstation without permission. The company said it investigated the incident and imposed suspension rather than dismissal, taking account of his record and the union’s representations.