Unfair Dismissal  - Words I never, EVER thought would apply to me !

  Having endured the 'so called' disciplinary procedure - as laid down on the ACAS and other websites - I can tell you that the law is not only NOT adhered to but is actively flouted by employers with absolute impunity because they BELIEVE - AND KNOW  - they can get away with it.

The rules you will read about online can be binned. If you are suspended you are automatically guilty ( Fact) and if you chose to fight your employer the situation becomes even worse. They will lie, delay proceedings in order to 'break' you, twist or break the rules, alter the minutes of meetings, invent further charges, turn your friends against you. decimate your character in the dismissal notice  and when they inevitably fire you, they will not only chose how much compensation they wish to pay you (if you win your case at appeal) but impose a gagging order ( - sorry  - 'Non Disclosure Agreement' ! ) on you so that you don't ever talk about what they did and bring their appalling company into disrepute !  - And even the Unions seem powerless against this.

Am I the only one to think this is wrong ??

I am a former French Foreign Legion Para. I am not a 'whinger' and I believe in honesty, loyalty, justice integrity and personal Honour. I am a man of principle. They tried to destroy these principles from the start - but I wouldn't let it happen.

 Everyone thinks you can take it to a Tribunal - FORGET IT !- Apparently it's an utterly brutal process - where the employee will be fighting high priced lawyers - and ,at the moment, there's a two to three year waiting list for these tribunals .I wouldn't have survived the wait. As an Employee you have NO rights whatsoever - you can't even question your accusers ! You are on your own fighting lies and wildly exaggerated accusations. As an example they really scrapped the barrel and actually charged me with making Christmas  and Birthday cards for a friend !! - but they'd managed to pervert it into something seriously ghoulish ! - and I want to change that - because by that time I was closer to death than I had been for a long time and that was the final straw..

 I had expected to be treated fairly . This was not the case. The system is a total farce. I went through a 'witch hunt' and 'Kangaroo court' - which I genuinely believed had been finished since the nineteenth century - and as for the stress and it's consequences - I won't even comment on that - except that I have  since been diagnosed with Severe stress/PTSD.!!

I endured three and a half months of this horror. I tried to defend myself due to bullying/harassment at work - but the bully was the boss' son and even my Union couldn't save me. They had seen it a thousand times before. I made mistakes - I admit that - but nothing like my employer did. He and his son actively twisted/broke the laws as they stand. But I effectively won my case at appeal (finally someone with some sense of decency and common sense !) but it made little difference. I restored my name and Honour - but I had to leave a job I loved, my former friends still won't talk to me (I've become a 'non-person'), my own business was destroyed, I am banned from the premises (due to trust issues !) and I lost both my physical and mental health. YES - it genuinely is that bad !

 I don't want anyone else to go through what I, and countless others have gone through - or are going through .

This is my appeal. I have contacted my MP who was very sympathetic and passed my complaint on to the Minister concerned. No result. The press were the same. Apparently it's too hot to handle ! This is my last chance to change things for you guys.

If you have been a victim of this, or know someone who has been  PLEASE, PLEASE sign this petition.  And for those of you who think  'This'll never happen to me - it's irrelevant' - Think again. That's what I thought too ! You have NO idea about how brutal this can be. Think carefully about it because at the moment you have no rights about any accusation your employer wishes to raise against you .

 All I want is a level, fair playing field when it comes to the Disciplinary Procedure. At the moment this is not there. Believe me - it's true.

This is a National scandal - affecting probably thousands of people daily in the UK -  and the laws, as they stand, need looking into - either to be completely revised so that they're not completely employer orientated or, at the very least, enforced correctly . PLEASE,  PLEASE help me to get this looked at .

                    Thank you - and I wish you all the best,

                              Simon.