Employment law cases in the news – 20.04.2015 to 26.04.2015

In the latest of our series of posts on employment law cases in the news, we take a look at ten employment law cases that made headlines between 20 and 26 April 2015

1. Animal feed firm fined £600,000 over lorry driver’s death – An animal feed company has been fined following the death of a lorry driver who was buried under a mound of soya meal. Malcolm Harrison was working at the Cargill terminal at Seaforth Dock in Liverpool on 6 September 2012 when a stockpile of soya meal collapsed on him. The 64-year-old from Keighley died of his injuries in hospital (HSE)
2. Derby priests unfairly dismissed over £2-an-hour pay protest win tribunal victory – Four “vulnerable” priests at a Sikh temple in Derby who were paid only £2 an hour have won an industrial tribunal ruling, with the help of a union. Two of the men, who all worked at a temple in Normanton, quit after they were disciplined when they complained about the wages (The Derby Telegraph)
3. Firefighter accused of stealing and selling fire equipment describes “physical and emotional toll” of sacking – An RAF firefighter yesterday described the “physical and mental toll” he has lived under after being sacked following allegations of gross misconduct. Neil Humphries, 47, was dismissed by the Ministry of Defence last year after he was accused of stealing firefighting equipment and selling it on the eBay auction website (The Press and Journal)
4. Zero-hours waitress who kept silent over groping boss because she feared her hours would be cut wins £20,000 payout – A waitress on a zero-hours contract who kept silent over her boss groping her because she feared her hours would be cut has won a £20,000 payout at an employment tribunal. Lucy Southern, who worked behind the bar at the hotel owned by Britannia Hotels in Leeds, was quizzed about her sex life and asked whether she wore stockings in bed by her line manager Alex Nkoroi (The Daily Mail)
5. Legal battle over Northamptonshire parish councillor’s iPad back before tribunal – A legal battle between a Northamptonshire councillor and a parish council which he believes should have paid for an iPad to help him in meetings resumed at a tribunal yesterday. Stephen Pointer, who is visually impaired had initially sued the chairman of Brixworth Parish Council Michael Lacey for discrimination after he claims the chairman “failed to make appropriate adjustments” to his disability (The Northampton Chronicle)
6. Judges order council to settle equal pay dispute within a month – Female workers at a council are due backdated pay of up to six figures stemming from an equal pay dispute going back over 10 years. Judges have given North Lanarkshire Council a month to settle the dispute over payment (Scottish Legal)
7. Head of Unite union embroiled in sexual discrimination and bullying claims – The head of one of Britain’s biggest trade unions is embroiled in claims of sexual discrimination and bullying by a former female official accusing Len McCluskey, leader of Unite, of calling her a “scab” (The Independent)
8. Goldman Sachs banker settles £1m claim after accusing employer of sexism – A Goldman Sachs executive who claims she was sidelined after becoming pregnant has won a settlement from her former employer believed to be in excess of £1 million (The Telegraph)
9. Pinsent Masons sees former lawyers drop unfair dismissal claims – Pinsent Masons has seen three sets of unfair dismissal claims launched by former employment lawyers at the firm dropped, Legal Week understands. The claims were launched last year by three female former employment practice lawyers, including one partner, who variously alleged that they were the victims of sex, pregnancy and maternity-related discrimination when they were made redundant from the firm’s employment practice (Legal Week)
10. Former British powerlifting champion sues after being sacked as prison PT teacher – A former British powerlifting champ has taken legal action after being sacked as PT instructor at a prison dubbed one of Britain’s worst. Steve Keenan had been accused of bullying and swearing at staff at Hewell Prison, near Redditch, a jail described as “facing significant problems” by charity The Howard League for Penal Reform (The Birmingham Mail)