Firefighter awarded £80,000 for human rights breach

A firefighter sacked for asserting that new chairs in his brigade aggravated his spinal arthritis has been awarded £80,000 because his human rights were breached.

Bosses at Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service dismissed 46-year-old Christopher Bennett, a firefighter with 25 years' experience, after he had asked his colleagues in an email if they liked the new £400 chairs they were being forced to sleep on.

Around 300 of the reclining chairs were bought when management banned staff at 41 fire stations from using beds on night shifts.

Mr Bennett, who lives in Stockport, was denied his right to freedom of expression and had been unfairly dismissed, an employment tribunal ruled.

He had even asked his bosses if he could bring in his own mattress on which to sleep rather than having to use the chairs but they refused him.

Mr Bennett sent the email in February 2008 and was soon sacked for "gross misconduct". He had appealed against this but lost.

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