Facebook Dangers

Here’s another wake-up call about the dangers of Facebook when it comes to you and your job.

The decision is from the BC Labour Relations Board, but it speaks to the career risks for anyone getting on Facebook and running down the boss and the operation.

The employer was a Mazda accessory store that had just been organized and where the union was bargaining the first collective agreement.

Two of the union supporters were Facebook friends with one of the managers.

The two union supporters engaged in personal derogatory comments about the company and the supervisors. Here’s a sample: “Was asked for my opinions at a morning safety meeting…I replied ‘No comment’… Seems my Boss, who’s owned the business for 25 yrs & is fixed operations director of 2 dealerships as well…couldn’t comprehend my reply?? So is confirmed…HE’S A COMPLETE JACK-ASS …not just Half-a-Tard.”

Confronted, the employees apologized. The employer wasn’t in a forgiving mood and terminated. The union fought back, claiming the firings were the result of anti-union animus. The union also questioned whether one of the employees had made all the comments in question or whether someone had hacked into his account.

It was to no avail, however, and the labour board upheld the firings.

The lesson from this story is that if you have to let off steam about your boss, don’t do it on Facebook. After all, s/he may be on Facebook too, along with the rest of the world.

You can read the full decision by clicking here.

- Glenn Wheeler, COPE Ontario Legal Counsel