Train station manager sacked for moving trolley off line

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

Some folks are sticking up for him. 550+ signatures on an online petition:

http://www.petitiononline.co.uk/petition/where-is-our-station-master-reinstate-ian-faletto-at-lymington-town/2815

[ChrisB]

Fair request - there are libel laws in this country. I suggest you lock it.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) likens sacked train master to Railway Children scene

An MP has likened the sacking of a station master who said he broke safety laws to move a trolley off a track to a scene from The Railway Children.

Desmond Swayne, Conservative MP for New Forest West, backed a campaign from Lymington residents calling for South West Trains to reinstate Ian Faletto.

It said Mr Faletto was dismissed for a "serious breach of safety" and there had been an internal investigation.

In the novel a character climbs onto the track to warn a train of danger.

Famously played by Jenny Agutter in the 1970 film, Roberta uses her red bloomers as a flag after there had been a landslide.

"She was probably breaking health and safety rules but she was thanked for it," Mr Swayne said. "I think there has to be a sense of proportion in this case and you don't sack a man who has an outstanding record for doing something that he did to protect the public. Perhaps that deserves a reminder of the health and safety rules and a slap on the wrist, but to sack a man?"

Hundreds of people have signed a petition calling for Mr Faletto, who was popular among passengers, to be reinstated.

Mr Faletto is considering taking South West Trains to a tribunal.

The single-track branch line runs between Lymington and Brockenhurst in the New Forest.

Mr Faletto said he arrived for work, noticed a shopping trolley had been thrown onto the line and knew it had to be removed before the first train came. "I went on the track and I removed a shopping trolley. Obviously having a train half an hour later it had to be removed before it hit it or derailed. I went on to the track, I called it an emergency situation. I had asked for the power off and it turns out the power had not been turned off, fortunately I had taken a wooden broom handle."

South West Trains said: "This action was taken following a full and thorough internal investigation and the decision was also upheld at an appeal hearing. Our absolute priority is to run a safe railway for our passengers and staff. All of our employees are aware of the importance of complying with the strict rules governing railway safety, which we have a duty to enforce, and the serious consequences of disregarding them."

[ChrisB]

Chris - after one of yoyr Global Mods asks us to post no further, why encourage us by posting the above.

Undermines the request, doesn't it?

[Ollie]

Actually Graham (who is the admin by the way) pointed out that it's not right to judge the guy based on press reports.

Chris (from Nailsea) has just added a news article from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) as it is related.

[grahame]

Chris - after one of yoyr Global Mods asks us to post no further, why encourage us by posting the above.

Undermines the request, doesn't it?

No, my request has not been undermined.   I asked that members desist from "making judgements based on press reports" and explained why. That is a long way short of "post no more".  chris from nailsea's post reports the press - it does not make judgements, nor does it go against the spirit of my request, and I'm 111% happy with it.

If I had wanted no additions to the thread (and in the process if I had wanted to prevent people from going back and changing their words, for which they are responsible - see forum agreement), I would have locked the thread. I considered it, but didn't.

Actually Graham (who is the admin by the way) pointed out that it's not right to judge the guy based on press reports.

Chris (from Nailsea) has just added a news article from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) as it is related.

Exactly so 

[ChrisB]

So, you'd allow any press quote, because the press are always right?

[grahame]

So, you'd allow any press quote, because the press are always right?

Not what I am saying, Chris.

The philosophy is to be broad in what we allow ... and where we have to say "no" or "please desist", it's for specific reasons.  The reason I asked people to desist in this case was because they were getting close to putting themselves, and perhaps the board operators, into a potentially troublesome position - you yourself mentioned Libel.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

if you quote a newspaper and add links to said article then you are making it clear who wrote the information and where it was published... pointing out these links cant be seen as YOU speculating but simply pointing out a reference source which is in the public domain.... i believe what grahame is trying to tell you is that we as members of this forum should resist taking elements of these news articles and piecing together the story ourselves...which could cause confusion to people just skimming threw this thread

as you have been told in many other posts chris this highlights the need to include references/linkbacks when quoting news reports

[ChrisB]

Don't agree, sorry.

If you repeat a libel originally made elswhere, even by the press, then you are just as guilty as the original publisher, and would be jointly sued with them as party to the offence.

Just because you post the link as well, makes no difference. By copying the text, leads you to be as guilty as the original. Provide only the link and you are in the clear.

[JayMac]

Rather drifting from the point grahame made, ChrisB.

None of the quoted articles do, as far as I can see (although IANAL^▸ ('I am not a lawyer'.)), contain anything potentially libellous. grahame's point was that passing judgement on those in the articles, be it the member of staff or the employer, could be problematical for the forum administrators. You'll note that grahame's request to desist on making judgements came after a post of yours.....

[Chris from Nailsea]

All I have done, on this topic, is to post two links to the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) - quoting their wording, acknowledging the source, and without passing my own comment.

If, by doing that, I'm 'repeating a libel originally made elsewhere', I'm in rather good company, I think.

[ChrisB]

No one here has named him.

Indeed, someone left on his own for too long, assuming he can be superman.

Hardly libellous either.

Either we agree not to discuss events / press coverage like this, or we do, and it is moderated if necessary. Neither is this gentlemnan staff any longer.

Indeed, Chris. My point is that I'm suggesting that the owner / mods allowing press quotes needs to consider this quoting the press. What if the News of the Screws had published something salacious aboiut a well known manager? (albeit that isn't a good comparison as that paper is behind a paywall now) - but it makes my point.

Copoying press willynilly without guidelines could invite problems. Providing the link isn't

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

sorry... and i hate to add this tone, but are you telling me that you believe that if you were sat on a bus reading a paper and pointed out an article to the person next to you that you would be guilty of liable? ..... this is grahame's forum he knows what he is doing and he has spoken, you have already had your say on what you believe PLEASE JUST LEAVE IT AND MOVE ON NOW!!!!!!!!!!

[ChrisB]

sorry... and i hate to add this tone, but are you telling me that you believe that if you were sat on a bus reading a paper and pointed out an article to the person next to you that you would be guilty of liable? .....

No I'm not - and you are not going to shout at me either. Let's keep this civil.

Pointing it out doesn't open you to libel either. Printing it on a website, even if you are repeating it, does. I'm jusat trying to alert Grahame to the possible problem, civilly.

Which you certainly aren't.