Guinness delivery subcontractor workers who were fired without notice over “unscheduled and undocumented” keg deliveries to Dublin pubs have been awarded over €114,000. The workers were among 15 drivers and assistants who were sacked in the wake of a covert surveillance operation by Diageo security officers at a pub in Dublin’s northeast inner city. The brewery’s delivery subcontractor accused the workers of gross misconduct over the deliveries. However, at a hearing last year, it was confirmed that no product had gone missing and no customer was short-changed. The workers were dismissed in July 2019, but their appeals were turned down. The workers claimed that they would shuttle kegs between pubs on their routes as customer service to publicans. After a series of investigation meetings and disciplinary hearings, the 11 workers were dismissed, and their appeals were turned down. However, adjudicating officer Andrew Heavey rejected the company’s view that their actions were gross misconduct and awarded the workers between €2,320 and €21,000 each.
