Sacked for doing a burnout?

balthazarr · 14-12-2009, 11:29 AM

From: http://www.news.com.au/national/man-...-1225810011376

Quote:

Michael Stevenson sacked for burnout in Mudgee carpark
By Joe Hildebrand From: The Daily Telegraph December 14, 2009 12:42am

Michael Stevenson was sacked for allegedly doing a burnout in his own Holden Commodore / The Daily Telegraph

A NEW South Wales council has been branded un-Australian after it sacked an employee for doing a burnout in the carpark.

In what is believed to be the first case of its kind, mechanic Michael Stevenson was dismissed by the Mid-Western Regional Council council after allegedly performing the trademark revhead manouevre while leaving the Mudgee depot in his V6 Holden Commodore on December 5 last year.

Mr Stevenson rejected the accusation and said none of the key elements of a burnout - tyre smoke and big skid marks - were present, The Daily Telegraph reports.

And even though he said it was not a burnout, he condemned sacking someone for doing a burnout as un-Australian.

"It wasn't a burnout anyway. There was no tyre smoke. You couldn't do a burnout on the surface that was there - it was all loose gravel. It's unfair and I reckon I was targeted," he said.

Mr Stevenson believes his work as a union delegate rankled the council and also said that a number of his colleagues had received adverse treatment by the council after giving evidence on his behalf. In his unfair dismissal case, Mr Stevenson and his witnesses said he lost traction for only a fraction of a second while driving out of the carpark and left only a 1m skid mark.

But the council claimed he lost traction for at least three seconds and left what was described in the Industrial Relations Commission as "a distinct skid mark" about 10m long.

In a landmark decision handed down last month, the IRC had to determine the precise elements that constitute a burnout.

And Commissioner Ian Cambridge found Mr Stevenson had deliberately lost traction while leaving the carpark and upheld his dismissal.

"A careful evaluation of all of the evidence ... about the burnout has established it was a deliberate and sustained loss of traction and not an inadvertent occurrence," he found.

The council had previously warned Mr Stevenson about dangerously driving a council ute.

Spokesman Ed DeLong said council was happy with the decision.

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vanman_75 · 14-12-2009, 11:33 AM

unbelievable and pety, but if it was in their car and hes been warned before ,well not a lot he can do really.

auxr · 14-12-2009, 11:36 AM

Brush fire season is now open - as usual there's always two sides to everyone of these incidents.

UNR8D · 14-12-2009, 12:38 PM

it was in his own car, VS commodore no less... figured that would be grounds to get off... V6 commodores cant do a 'burnout' case closed.

flappist · 14-12-2009, 12:39 PM

So he dropped a burnout on his employer's property?

This says a lot about his attitude and mentality.

I wonder if the "burnout event" was the excuse rather than the reason he is no longer employed.

||| · 14-12-2009, 12:40 PM

all workplaces should have a burnout pad in the car park. ripping off a couple of awesome skids at knock off time would really reduce the road rage on the way home

4Vman · 14-12-2009, 12:57 PM

Sounds like he has a history and it was the opportunity they'd been waiting for.
Can't see what the problem is.

LTDHO · 14-12-2009, 12:57 PM

Quote:

in his V6 Holden Commodore

enough said!

merlin · 14-12-2009, 12:58 PM

Union delegate - says it all really.

We sacked someone for doing a burnout in the carpark a few years ago - so its hardly a "landmark case". Would come under OH&S.

Wretched · 14-12-2009, 01:00 PM

Quote:

...The council had previously warned Mr Stevenson about dangerously driving a council ute...

A repeat offender? Got what he deserved I'd say

FalconXR6 · 14-12-2009, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by |||

all workplaces should have a burnout pad in the car park. ripping off a couple of awesome skids at knock off time would really reduce the road rage on the way home

GOLD !!!

Yes, I've not too long ago a couple of blokes here on the NW coast of TAS were given the a** for doing burnouts in carpark of their place of work.

While I think it's petty, you'd have to be a bit of a d*ck to drop a skid at your place of employment...time and place people, time and place...

GTP 290 · 14-12-2009, 01:39 PM

So where there other cars anywhere near the area where he did the doughnut?

If my car got sprayed with loose gravel I'd be glad to see him gone.

trippytaka · 14-12-2009, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Vman

Sounds like he has a history and it was the opportunity they'd been waiting for.
Can't see what the problem is.

Agreed. Rule number one, don't sh** where you eat. It's disrespect to his employer... I would have thought even the most basic level of intelligence would make someone with a history think it's not a good idea to get on the brake on work premises. The stupidity of some people astounds me.

onfire · 14-12-2009, 01:50 PM

Un-Australian..
what a stupid term, really it is. If someone does some thing stupid or unprofessional and they get pinned for it.. apparently it's " Un-Australian "

Highway · 14-12-2009, 01:52 PM

Well the cops and courts can crush your car for doing burnouts. Try and tell them that it is un-australian.

sounds like he has done it a few times.

4Vman · 14-12-2009, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onfire

Un-Australian..
what a stupid term, really it is. If someone does some thing stupid or unprofessional and they get pinned for it.. apparently it's " Un-Australian "

Yes... so its "Australian" to turn a blind eye to it and let it go regardless???

onfire · 14-12-2009, 01:58 PM

Thats what I'm saying, someone does something wrong, then when caught they turn around and call the point of authority, this time his boss " un-australian " for firing someone for doing some thing not only unprofessional, but dangerous and illegal.

Franco Cozzo · 14-12-2009, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Vman

Yes... so its "Australian" to turn a blind eye to it and let it go regardless???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ch6IN8i5Rv0

1 minute 14 seconds.

UNR8D · 14-12-2009, 02:05 PM

time and place.... done it at my last place of work, well and truely after hours in the back holding yard that was empty... no one cared... if i did it in the staff park or front customer park that would be a different story ...

**Tucool** · 14-12-2009, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flappist

So he dropped a burnout on his employer's property?

This says a lot about his attitude and mentality.

I wonder if the "burnout event" was the excuse rather than the reason he is no longer employed.

Agreed.... There is very little respect for anything these days.. Moron.

Iggypoppin' · 14-12-2009, 03:28 PM

At our last christmas party I left at 2pm to get undressed before going back in my dads car so I could drink. As I was leaving the boss was egging me on to do a burnout, so I just jammed the throttle for a few seconds, not much of a skid and no smoke. Private property and all, but I'd never dare to just do one whenever. Still, getting the sack over it is pretty harsh, especially considering it wasn't that big and a formal warning or a fine probably would have been more appropriate.

geckoGT · 14-12-2009, 03:38 PM

I agree, I think there is a lot more to this story than is told here. Also the guy has to remember, he is a council employee and therefore in council grounds he is required to behave in a manner the public expects of council representatives.

Would I be allowed to conduct my driving in an illegal manner such as spinning wheels whilst on ambulance station driveways or in uniform? Of course not, the public expects better and if I were to do that I would expect to be sacked.

TZENU · 14-12-2009, 03:50 PM

Not the brightest thing to do... I don't think this moron will be in hurry to do it again