A truck driver based in Stafford has lost out on a claim for unfair dismissal, after he refused to make an extra delivery for fear of exceeding his driving quota of 15 hours.
Roger Morris accused his former employer, Culina Logistics, of ignoring health and safety issues and putting his life at risk for the sake of profit.
After refusing to make a delivery in fear of exceeding 15 hours’ driving and facing prosecution, the Birmingham Employment Tribunal heard that Morris was sacked for not complying with a management request.
The firm argued that the journey from Drayton to Stafford would not have taken more than 25 minutes, and denied that Morris would have exceeded the 15-hour limit.
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Tribunal chair John Parkin said that Culina had responded within the bounds of reasonable behaviour, and rejected Morris’s claim for unfair dismissal.
It follows a recent case where truck driver Ron Ellis was awarded more than £28,000 after he was sacked for opposing a call to work excessive hours, risking prosecution.