Labour Court recommends written warning for Thermo King shop steward

The Labour Court recommended that Thermo King (Europe) Limited place a written warning on a shop steward’s file until 1 March 1999, finding the four-week unpaid suspension and final warning too severe. The recommendation was dated 17 December 1998. The Amalgamated Engineering And Electrical Union said the shop steward had refused an instruction to complete production documentation under union instructions, after management declined a joint meeting with shop stewards. Thermo King said completing the documentation was required by its agreement with the union. The Court also found that the shop steward understood the seriousness of his decision and that not participating in the investigation was not in his best interests.