Paul Bailey AA Discrimination

[paul.bailey69]

Hi everyone,

Just thought I would share my recent success in a disability discrimination claim.

http://www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom/latest_news/aa_guilty_of_disability_discri.aspx
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/news/content/view/full/107609
http://www.cloisters.com/news-items/aa-guilty-of-discriminating-against-diabetic-employee.asp
http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk/AA-discriminated-patrol-man/story-13069769-detail/story.html
http://www.simpsonmillar.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsid=1228
http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/AA-man-welcomes-tribunal-decision/story-13110235-detail/story.html
http://www.unionmagazine.org.uk/index.php/7-news/49

Latest From BBC:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzrbWBveXRQ TV

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RfhVQFBLY0/ Radio

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-14576229

http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/A...ts-patrolman/story-13170668-detail/story.html

I hope to be able to offer advice to others who might find them selves in my position.

 

[catherinecherub]

Re: Discrimination

http://www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom/latest_n ... iscri.aspx
Well done Paul. You must be relieved to have won your case.

 

[noblehead]

Re: Discrimination

Yes that's a great victory Paul after the ordeal they put you through.

Nigel

 

[ebony321]

Re: Discrimination

Well done Paul!

 

[bowell]

Re: Discrimination

Well done!!! "Get in there " Love it when the small man Wins
Even better for letting us know, You have put a big grin on my face


I found the GMB very helpful when i was working helped me out a few times
Also helped my son, when his firm tried to lay him off before apprenticeship had ended
canceled that over night when found out he would be due around £25,000+ along with the other
9 apprentices.

When I became unable to work membership fee was dropped to only a £1 month
best thing i ever did was to keep this up as:
The GMB also have a Welfare Dep that helps members with DLA ESA ect more important
full professional Welfare Legal help with any appeals , Helping me now with something

In these days ,Look at union membership as an insurance against bad Employer and or the welfare system.

You can join and pay your fees direct ,No need to let any employer know your in any union
until something happens, Phone them for free advise ,If needed local rep will come to meeting
with your manager/boss. if needed will back you all the way

My wife works full time for one of the larger supermarkets .
Her Union made them Back down to allow her shift hours and the days she worked the same each week so that the cares are always at home with me when she was working ,,otherwise would alter her shift days and hours every week. The carers could not keep up, social services
would not cover the extra costs this involved.


Bob

 

[paul.bailey69]

Re: Discrimination

Thanks everyone. It wasn't easy but I had the best Solicitor and a senior barrister in court. The GMB were brilliant and I am now going to become a rep to help others. Its still sinking in and the AA have not taken it too well, like you said Bob small man beats huge company there were 16 charges I won on unanimously so it was a comprehensive win. Not sure what my future holds now but I don't regret taking them all the way and would advise anybody on here to stand strong if you are being singled out. The DDA is a powerful tool which we as diabetics can now use.

 

[Administrator]

Re: Discrimination

Nice one!

 

[Sanober]

Re: Discrimination

Well done.

What a hellish time it would have been for you but you've shown immense resilience. What an inspiration.

 

[Margi]

Re: Discrimination

That is fantastic news, Paul. Lets hope it opens the way for better protection for all of us.

I do have one question though. How on earth can 'performance' be measured for an AA patrol? Surely, the time it takes to get to a breakdown is determined only by traffic, and your skill and speed at diagnosing and fixing (or not) a problem would not, of course, have changed. So, apart from the obvious of needing some time for doctors and hospitals, and tests and snacks, how do AA measure performance?

I don't mean any kind of criticism there, it's just that I have seen so much talk lately of 'performance targets' etc, even in the NHS for goodness sake, with how many sick people survive! :shock: The target-measurers never seem to look at how sick the people were when they first went to hospital and some hospitals deal with more serious and dangerous illnesses than others but they all seem to get compared by the same standards. Mostly I have no idea how to measure such things. One bricklayer might lay more bricks per hour than another: those kind of measurements are easy, but your job? Or a doctor's job? Or a cleaner? (I'm a cleaner, and I tell them they can have fast or thorough, but they can't have both! Most seem to like the thorough.) Ok, cleaners can move slowly too, so that is measurable. Hey, I'm getting silly here, but there are so many jobs that cannot be measured for performance and I can't see how yours can be.

 

[paul.bailey69]

Re: Discrimination

Hi Margi, the AA performance monitor/manage us on everything, we are probably the most measured people I know. I cant go into detail on here I'm afraid but everything I do is scrutinised. It can be hard as you have no control over the type of jobs you get. When I got type 1 diabetes I had to slow down due to hypo's, I have a high metabolism and I guess with that and my reduced capability they wanted me out!
I think this will set a benchmark, I am not sure how many others have done this.

 

[Osidge]

Re: Discrimination

Well done Paul

It is great to see equality legislation being used to obtain equality of opportunity for disabled people. I hope that many people read of your case and also have the courage to stand up against discrimination when it visits them.

Regards

Doug

 

[Margi]

Re: Discrimination

I hope it does set a benchmark, Paul. It's about time people got their heads round the fact the the DDA applies to hidden disabilities as well as the obvious physical ones. It happens so much and no one knows because they don't know the disability exists, and if they do know about it, then so many people won't accept that if it can't be seen, it is still a disability.

How often do you hear people say, 'I've met him and there's nothing wrong with him. He's fine.' Or words to that effect. My son says he'd rather be without a leg than autistic and dyspraxic because no one can see or imagine what it takes to get through each day. I know how he feels, and I'm sure you do too.

I could go and rant about it all night, but you'd just get bored. I hope this kind of recognition becomes the norm.

 

[paul.bailey69]

Re: Discrimination

Let's hope your right about not seeing the disability, that was a factor with me. I am fit and look ok so was being treated more and more like a malingerer. Any one with employment problems should point their manager to my case.

 

[bowell]

Re: Discrimination

[youtube]QPzq3on2qiA[/youtube]

 

[paul.bailey69]

Re: Discrimination

Hi everyone,

Just thought I would share my recent success in a disability discrimination claim.

http://www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom/latest_news/aa_guilty_of_disability_discri.aspx

I hope to be able to offer advice to others who might find them selves in my position.

I have done an interview with a BBC reporter regarding my case and also highlighted the trouble some others on here are having with their employers. I gave the url for this website so hopefully it will get some media attention which can only be good for everyone.

p.s. how do you link websites?

 

[daisy1]

Re: Discrimination

Leave off the http:// Paul

 

[paul.bailey69]

Re: Discrimination

Leave off the http:// Paul

Ah! Thank you Daisy

 

[RussG]

Re: Discrimination

Hi Paul,

You highlight the text of the link and then click on the button in the bit above the text b...posting to bump this back up. Regards, Russ

 

[paul.bailey69]

Re: Discrimination

Hi Russ

Thanks

 

[paul.bailey69]

Re: Discrimination

Some more links from BBC