Student union sacking 'unfair'

Melanie McClave worked in Newi's student union

An employment tribunal has ruled that the sacking of a Wrexham students' union accountant-manager accused of being negligent in her duties was procedurally unfair.

However, the tribunal said Melanie McClave from Kinmel Bay would still have lost her job had the proper procedures been followed.

She is entitled to compensation for a month's loss of pay, overtime and £300 in lieu of untaken holiday.

The 31-year old had been employed by the students' union at the North East Wales Institute(Newi), a higher education college.

The tribunal also ruled that bar manager John Dilworth, 27, of Towyn, was constructively and unfairly dismissed.

Compensation

A hearing in Abergele last month had heard that while he was off sick due to stress, the union had replaced him as a licensee of a bar.

The tribunal said to remove him from the position of joint licensee with no warning or consultation with him and no compelling need to do so, was a breach of the trust and confidence which ought to have existed.

Compensation is yet to be determined.

Former union president Christopher Jones, 26, of Tranmere, lost a claim for unauthorised deduction of wages.