May 18, 2009
Territorial Army soldiers go off to war with the security of knowing that, once their tour has ended, they have a job to come back to.
At least that's the theory. While our brave boys might be used to receiving honours for gallantry like the VC and GC, one unfortunate soldier got nothing more than a P45.
Simon Sunderland returned home after fighting in Afghanistan to find he had been sacked from his job as a production line worker at engineering firm Cummins. In line with HR best practice, he was informed of the news via email, along with 400 of his co-workers.
At least that's the theory. While our brave boys might be used to receiving honours for gallantry like the VC and GC, one unfortunate soldier got nothing more than a P45.
Simon Sunderland returned home after fighting in Afghanistan to find he had been sacked from his job as a production line worker at engineering firm Cummins. In line with HR best practice, he was informed of the news via email, along with 400 of his co-workers.
His trade union is now looking into the sacking to see if the firm breached employment laws designed to protect reservists. In a further bitter taste of irony, Cummins is an American-owned firm, a fact not lost on the union.
"I do not know how Cummins had the temerity to make him redundant while he was serving his country. It is ironic that he was out there fighting in Afghanistan with our American cousins, but it is an American firm that has now put him out of work," they said.
"We should be doing all we can to support our troops. Legally, we think this is questionable, but morally, it is unbelievable."
Guru has real sympathy for our brave boy; from dodging bullets in Kabul, to signing on down the dole office. Who is the more deadly enemy - the Taleban or the number crunchers at Cummins?
"I do not know how Cummins had the temerity to make him redundant while he was serving his country. It is ironic that he was out there fighting in Afghanistan with our American cousins, but it is an American firm that has now put him out of work," they said.
"We should be doing all we can to support our troops. Legally, we think this is questionable, but morally, it is unbelievable."
Guru has real sympathy for our brave boy; from dodging bullets in Kabul, to signing on down the dole office. Who is the more deadly enemy - the Taleban or the number crunchers at Cummins?
Guru's Tweets