Convenor loses fight to overturn sacking

The dispute at Rolls Royce over the sacking of convenor Jerry Hicks ended last month without his reinstatement.

Hicks was sacked by the company on 20 July, following allegations that he organised unofficial industrial action, charges which he denies.

Despite a ruling by Bristol Employment Tribunal that "on balance it was likely that Mr Hicks was dismissed on trade union grounds", the company refused to reinstate him. On 15 August Hicks rejected an offer of £50,000 in "compensation".

Following his sacking members of his union, the technical and professional union Amicus, in the Test section of Rolls-Royce's Bristol Patchway plant took strike action, demanding his reinstatement. The action continued into September, but a ballot of the remainder of the Bristol manual workforce rejected industrial action. Without this further support the Test workers agreed to return to work.