Just the once, gross misconduct, and contrary to the first question asked by many, no I did not hing wan on the managers chin! I'd scratched the side of a newly painted car, which had come in for repair. Boss not happy, Fairy Nuff. He tells me I'd have to pay for it, again no complaint from me, but he'll charge me a minimal amount. Piss taking from the boys, to be expected and I'm happy with that too. That is until I get billed. Next bit of piss taking and I'm not such a happy bunny. Instead of laughing it off, I say I ain't laughing after what I paid. On revealing it was {?£170.00)well over a weeks wages, they think I'm joking. I can show you the receipt I reply. One of the painters then said if they'd known that, they'd have done it in their own time only costing me for the paint, about £50. I go looking for the manager, your office now. I repeat what the painter had said, and ask is he willing to give me any refund, as what he'd told me was nothing like as how cheap it could've been sorted for. No way, was how he started, then went on to say that should I make another mistake like that, he would charge me £500.00!!! WTF! In that case I says, I can no longer afford to drive your truck, and I didn't. I'll do any other duties, but not with the truck. Knew what was happening, didn't budge and was sacked. At the grand old age of 59.
Took them to a tribunal, lost but didn't care. I had three of the management in dock being defended by their London lawyer. At one point whilst I was being questioned, I started on the lawyer and turned the question back to them. I heard the MD was shaking with rage, good. The irony is they offered me 30 pieces of silver,£500.00, a few minutes before it started. Long before it came anywhere going to court, I informed their side all I wanted was an apology. They must have thought I had the same mindset as them, and would have used this against them. I had something they could never attain, integrity.
A twist in the tale. I was only unemployed for a few weeks, and landed on my feet. On the home straight to retirement, Mon to Fri, 0800 to 1700 no overtime, brilliant. This job involved going to different offices one of which was, no Brownie points for guessing, the people who'd just sacked me! The icing on the cake. I saw some bods with whom I'd only had dealings with on an irregular basis. They were eyeing me up, and I looked straight ahead as I passed them. "It can't be." I heard as I went by. "A but it fur king is." I thought to myself as I ignored them. A few days later my new boss, who was a good all round guy, came up to me laughing. He'd just had a 'phone call from the MD asking if it could be arranged that I did not call at their office! I must have really pissed him off big time that he was still hurting months later, the arrsehole. I chuckled every time I went there.
Edited for mong spelling.
