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Job trying to discipline me on a security issue

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  • 30-08-2012 1:41am
    #1
    The Cannibal
    Registered Users Posts: 908 ✭✭✭


    I work in a cinema as just your regular staff, serving customers, cleaning screens etc.

    One of the extra things my cinema expects me to do is what they call a screen check. Basically what it boils down to is you pop your head in during a movie and look for signs of someone causing trouble.

    I have a meeting coming up in which they are going to try and discipline me for not doing this to their satisfaction. Problem is, I am not comfortable doing it.

    Last month a staff member got physically assaulted while doing it. I personally have had several death threats for kicking people out of screens. There have been other incidents where the customer has turned it around on us when the Gardai have been called and accused us of assault (there are no cameras in the screens). There was another incident this summer where a screen pretty much rioted and got out of our control. I don't feel adequately protected enough by the cinema to carry out this task.

    We've had meetings with the owner to provide a security guard to deal with these situations but they have yet to provide one.

    My stance is that I am not employed to do security and I shouldn't have to be forced into situations where I feel threatened, but I am unsure of the employment regulations when it comes to this.

    Can they follow through and discipline me for this or can I defend myself on this basis?


Comments

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    #2
    tony81
    Closed Accounts Posts: 595 ✭✭✭tony81


    Yes, you should be disciplined if you are not doing screen checks.

    No one is telling you to tackle a large group of yobs. If people are causing trouble in a screen you should report it to your manager (thus making it his/her problem) and if necessary the gardai.


  • Options
    #3
    silja
    Registered Users Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭silja


    What did you actually do or not do?
    There is a big difference between you being told to have a quick look in and didn't do that (yes, they should discipline you), and you finding two 6 foot 5 drunken guys who refused to leave and threatened you physically, and you not dragging them out by force (no, they should not discipline you for that).


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    #4
    fasttalkerchat
    Registered Users Posts: 5,652 ✭✭✭fasttalkerchat


    Best way to deal with it is to accept the disciplinary having explained what you said here then every time you do a screen check and there are any issues call the gardai or a manager before dealing with the problem.


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    #5
    Procrastastudy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,224 ✭✭✭Procrastastudy


    Hang on a sec - have they done an investigation which would be the first step before a disciplinary meeting? Have you raised all your concerns in an official grievance? Have you been given training on how to deal with a situation should it arise?

    While they are in a position to hold a disciplinary meeting over non-compliance with work procedures they could be on very shaky ground with regards to their own requirements. I assume that you simply failed to stick you head in to the cinema screens as the film was going on? Had you ever been pulled up on this and refused to do it?


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