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Tried to spill beans
Page 22
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LOTHIAN Regional Council driver George Cruickshank of Bonnyrigg resigned to be able to draw attention to alleged irregularities, and at a hearing of the Scottish Industrial Council asked for constructive dismissal. He failed.
Other council drivers received standing overtime payments even when absent, he said. The explanation given was that these drivers had been with Edinburgh Corporation before reorganisation of local government in 1975 and received these payments in terms of a reorganisation agreement.
But Mr Cruickshank said he did not believe that explanation as payments were made also to men not previously employed with Edinburgh. He took the matter up with his union but got nowhere. He also believed there were other irregularities. As he could not speak while an employee he claimed that resignation was necessary to expose what was happening.
The Tribunal reported that he gave evidence with sincerity and clarity but that he clearly had not demonstrated that his employer had forced him to resign; the case must be dismissed.
When the defendants sought expenses against him the Tribunal refused. They could not accept that he had been either frivolous or opposed to his employers in a vexatious sense. As a result of his allegations and his resignation there had been an investigation after his retirement, and as a result six drivers had been prosecuted and dismissed. Substantial losses to the ratepayers had been avoided by his action.