

Just what does a person gotta do to deserve being fired? Just ask the company that fired a foreman for flicking a lighter at a worker causing his safety vest to catch fire. Although the fire was put out quickly, the worker suffered burns to his hand. The foreman was joking around and meant no harm but his actions constituted dangerous horseplay banned by the safety policy he was supposed to enforce. Still, the union claimed termination was excessive for a 32-year employee with a clean record, noting that the foreman did apologize immediately. The arbitrator agreed. The foreman’s actions were “stupid,” rather than malicious, he reasoned, and knocked the penalty down to a lengthy suspension [Dryco Drywall Supplies Ltd. v. Teamsters Local Union No. 213 (Sobieski Grievance), [2013] B.C.C.A.A.A. No. 18, Feb. 19, 2013].