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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

The Bin man who was sacked for kicking the head off the Snowman.....

405 replies

TheQueef · 31/01/2021 13:27

Would you have reported?
I'm not a fan of reporting for reporting sake so this has shocked me.
Just what outcome was expected by sending footage to his bosses?

YABU = he deserves to lose his job.
YANBU = it's batshit he kicked a snowman.

Soz if there has been a thread already.

OP posts:
HOkieCOkie · 31/01/2021 14:14

The bin-men reversed over ours! Lol I better get onto the daily Mail. And practice my child’s best sad face!

LakeGeneva · 31/01/2021 14:14

Snow is frozen water. What next, sacking someone for jumping in a puddle? Utterly ridiculous.

For the people saying it's ok because the bin collection is contracted out, this just illustrates the parlous state of workers' rights in the era of sub contracting and zero hours contracts. If he was a permanent unionised employee they'd never have got away with this. Because it's fucking stupid. Letting employers get away with fucking stupid things because the people they require to do a job of work for them don't count as employees is bad for everyone.

Ihatemyseleffordoingthis · 31/01/2021 14:15

@TwelvePaws - no I didn't realise it was a comprehension exercise and research project, just read the first bit of the first stupid article.

WorraLiberty · 31/01/2021 14:15

It's totally OTT and ridiculous

I've a feeling it could come back to bite the complainer on the arse, now he's been sacked.

I can't see them being particularly popular in their street/area.

TwelvePaws · 31/01/2021 14:16

All those who think it’s ok, would you do it?

ScreamingBeans · 31/01/2021 14:16

Tbf he was a nob at work.

LOL

I think he probably can't help it, his nobbishness is part of him. He probably did what their HR dept urged and brought his whole self to work.

This is why telling people to bring their whole selves to work should be put a stop to. Some people urgently need to leave crucial bits of themselves at home.

Godimabitch · 31/01/2021 14:18

He looks like a right twat and I wouldn't hire him. You want decent people working for you, it shows his character and it's the first time he's been filmed, doesn't mean it's the first antisocial thing he's done while at work. There are consequences for your actions, dont be a dick.

LakeGeneva · 31/01/2021 14:18

@TwelvePaws no I wouldn't kick a snowman. But I wouldn't deprive a man of his livelihood for doing so either. Because it's a fucking snowman.

HOkieCOkie · 31/01/2021 14:18

@TwelvePaws Absolutely not.

VetiverAndLavender · 31/01/2021 14:19

Losing this job doesn't bar him from finding another. Time to grow up and do his job like an adult. I wouldn't have reported it, but I don't feel sorry for him. He sounds like a jerk, especially if he refused to apologise.

Ihatemyseleffordoingthis · 31/01/2021 14:19

No I wouldn't do it
The bloke is clearly a bit of a liability. But the 3 year olds parents are ridiculous too.

thevassal · 31/01/2021 14:20

@gannett

Going out of your way to try to make someone lose their livelihood is a far more despicable act than kicking a snowman.

What this boils down to is that some people absolutely need to feel that others, especially in service industries, are beneath them and at their mercy. It's a contemptible way to think.

who said the family expected or wanted that to be the result though? If he was a permanent employee with an otherwise good behaviour record then I highly doubt he would have got anything other than a warning/talking to.

Instead he's a contractor who clearly has some anger issues, apparently refused to apologise, and then is stupid and devious enough to completely lie about what happened and expect people to believe him - see his pitiful comments on the radio about the snowman 'being in the way' and 'obstructing our important job as bin men,' when the footage showed a) all the other collectors moving around the snowman which clearly posed no obstacle whatsoever on the path and b) him going back multiple times to kick it again and again while the others were all waiting for him to get back on the truck and move on!

Also you're massively overthinking the whole 'service' industry thing. You've got no idea what the snowman family do for a living, and tbh most bin collectors probably earn more than professional roles such as teachers and nurses!

Sinful8 · 31/01/2021 14:21

@Gwenhwyfar

He shouldn't have been sacked, quiet word maybe. But I don't understand what prompts someone to destroy a snowman anyway? What's the psychology behind it? Vandalism? A power thing? Some kind of bullying?
Fun?

I mean whats the psychology behind lobbing balls of the stuff at each other.

Animals like to play

TwelvePaws · 31/01/2021 14:21

But I wouldn't deprive a man of his livelihood for doing so either. Because it's a fucking snowman.

Deprive him of his livelihood. 🤣 Read about him, something tells me he’s not one of life’s grafters.

davidsSchitt · 31/01/2021 14:23

"I can't see them being particularly popular in their street/area."

Why? Because some angry little wannabe gangster who spends his days assaulting policemen, even whilst in an ambulance, isn't blighting their street every 2 weeks.

His colleagues are probably glad he's gone too. He's a liability.

stripeyIIIIItscmsfkmf · 31/01/2021 14:23

Next time instead of reporting just rebuild the snowman but with a massive rock inside the head

SchadenfreudePersonified · 31/01/2021 14:24

It was a rotten thing to do to an innocent snowman, but not a sacking offence. He should appeal.

willFOURbagsbeenough · 31/01/2021 14:25

@stripeyIIIIItscmsfkmf

Next time instead of reporting just rebuild the snowman but with a massive rock inside the head
Grin
AndcalloffChristmas · 31/01/2021 14:26

It was a mean thing to do, no doubt. But I think being sacked (or not given further work) seems a bit OTT.

SchadenfreudePersonified · 31/01/2021 14:26

Oh - just read vassal's post - it seems he's an arse. As you were. Maybe this is the chance they've been waiting for to get rid of him.

WorraLiberty · 31/01/2021 14:27

@davidsSchitt

"I can't see them being particularly popular in their street/area."

Why? Because some angry little wannabe gangster who spends his days assaulting policemen, even whilst in an ambulance, isn't blighting their street every 2 weeks.

His colleagues are probably glad he's gone too. He's a liability.

No, because a lot of people on the internet are up in arms about the fact he's lost his job.

I do think that'll come back to bite the complainer on the arse

davidsSchitt · 31/01/2021 14:29

"If he was a permanent unionised employee they'd never have got away with this. Because it's fucking stupid."

@LakeGeneva don't be daft. You're representing the council whilst working. You are expected to follow a code of conduct.

Assaulting police officers and being on probation for that offence means he was lucky to keep his job in the first place. This isn't his first warning is it? He is about to become a Dad yet he can't control himself enough in public whilst on the job?!

They did right getting rid of him. I wouldn't want him working for me!

LakeGeneva · 31/01/2021 14:30

something tells me he’s not one of life’s grafters.

Well he's certainly not a grafter now he's lost his job. So I guess that fits your pov.

davidsSchitt · 31/01/2021 14:31

"No, because a lot of people on the internet are up in arms about the fact he's lost his job.

I do think that'll come back to bite the complainer on the arse"

Nah. 3000 of his little Facebook mates have signed a petition. They're not "up in arms".

Why should they be intimidated and therefore keep quiet just because him and his ilk are the type to make sure it "bites them on the arse"? Confused

AllTheUsernamesAreAlreadyTaken · 31/01/2021 14:32

@gannett

Going out of your way to try to make someone lose their livelihood is a far more despicable act than kicking a snowman.

What this boils down to is that some people absolutely need to feel that others, especially in service industries, are beneath them and at their mercy. It's a contemptible way to think.

I agree.