Fired radio announcer wins case

A local radio station has been ordered by the Industrial Court to reinstate a freelance announcer who was fired in March 2015.

In an oral ruling on Wednesday, Industrial Court member Melvin Daniel said the TT Radio Network Ltd (OJO TTRN) wrongfully suspended, then fired, radio personality Stanley Augustus.

Daniel and fellow court members Kyril Jack and Azeem Mohammed also found Augustus was fired without cause and in harsh and oppressive circumstances which went against good industrial relation practices.

The members were also critical of the radio station’s failure to attend the court hearing.

In their ruling, the court’s members ordered that the station should compensate Augustus for his dismissal before December 22 and reinstate him by January 1, 2018, under the same terms and conditions and salary as his last contract.

Augustus was represented by Communication Workers Union president John Julien.

As it held that Augustus to be a truthful witness, the court said Augustus was not given an opportunity to be heard when he was suspended and then fired, and the company failed to give a valid reason for sending him home.

In his witness statement, Augustus, who was at the station for ten years, said he committed no offence that warranted his suspension without pay and eventual dismissal. Augustus, who worked on a shift basis, said on March 16, 2015 as he was about to take up his shift for his 3-6 pm programme, he was told because of remarks he had made to another announcer, he was to be suspended for two weeks without pay with immediate effect.

He said he was not in agreement with the decision and had said nothing to warrant a suspension. He also said he received no suspension letter.

On March 27, he was called into the radio station and given his letter of termination.

“I believe that I was denied all opportunity to defend myself against any perceived action by the company I have given dedicated services over the years of my employment,” he said.