Editorial: Think before posting

It is Roberta Ratu's democratic right to raise the issue with an MP and doing so on a modern medium such as Facebook should be seen no differently, writes Amy Wiggins. Photo / John Borren

Usually I have no sympathy for people who get themselves in trouble for posting things online without thinking.

Risque or drunken photos or comments slagging off your employer have a habit of getting out and landing people in hot water.

My rule is: if you wouldn't want it published in a newspaper, don't post it.

Yesterday we reported on the situation Affco butcher Roberta Ratu is facing.

She received a warning letter from Affco saying she could be dismissed or not re-engaged if she did not remove a Facebook post she put on her local MP's page.

But this one was different. There was nothing rude, defamatory or unprofessional. She did not criticise or attack the company or a manager.

Ms Ratu simply asked Waiariki MP Te Ururoa Flavell to support the workers' union in its negotiations with the company.

It is her democratic right to raise the issue with an MP and doing so on a modern medium such as Facebook should be seen no differently.

We all have a right to freedom of speech and that freedom must be protected.

Sure there are limits, but people such as Ms Ratu should not fear losing their jobs over such innocuous comments.

It is, however, a reminder that you can't just say whatever you want on social media.

We are seeing more such cases brought before the Employment Relations Authority.

In March New Zealander David Nuttall was ordered to pay $1000 after breaching a settlement agreement by posting comments on a Xero blog site calling his former employer, SimPro, a "pile of crap" and a "waste of space".

Perhaps most well known is the case of Hawke's Bay woman Karen Hammond who posted a photo of a cake iced with offensive comments about her former employer.

While the company's response was questionable (it was fined for sending the image to other potential employers) the whole saga could have been avoided had the photo simply not been posted.

In Ms Ratu's case I fully back her actions. She did nothing wrong.

It is, however, another timely reminder to think before posting.