'I'm going to knock you out': NZ Post worker sanctioned despite being violently threatened

New Zealand Post disciplined one of its team leaders for telling an aggressive worker he was fired after he threatened to knock her out. Photo / File

New Zealand Post disciplined one of its team leaders for telling an aggressive worker he was fired after he threatened to knock her out.

The Employment Relations Authority (ERA) found NZ Post's actions were unjustified and ordered it to pay the woman $10,200 compensation and ruled that the final warning it issued be withdrawn.

In April last year, Lisa Asiata, a team leader at NZ Post's Highbrook facility in South Auckland, was told by an employee, referred to by the ERA as Mr Q, "don't forget I am going on three weeks' leave starting on Friday", the ERA decision said.

Asiata, who was responsible for managing employees' leave, said she did not have any such information and that the matter was outside her authority because the man did not have enough leave owing.

The following day she told him he had not submitted a leave form and would need to apply through usual leave process. If he failed to turn up for his next shift, she said, management would have to go through its "absence without leave" procedure.

"Ms Asiata said Mr Q 'lost control' and started shouting," the decision said.

"His shouting, which was directed at Ms Asiata, included: 'You're bull****", 'you're
lying', 'f*** the company', 'f*** you' and a statement to the effect he did not care
what she was saying because he was going on his holiday regardless."

Asiata told the ERA she tried to distance herself from Mr Q's "tirade" and ordered him to leave the building. But he would not back off.

"Ms Asiata said being told to leave the premises made Mr Q angrier and he moved closer towards her and began 'eyeballing' her," the decision said. "She said he then stated, as he was 'huffing and puffing' and waving his arms in front of her face: 'I'm going to knock you the f*** out you fat b****' and 'come on, come on, I'm going to knock you out'."

Other witnesses agreed that Mr Q had used words to this effect.

Asiata told the ERA she continued to walk away from Mr Q, described as a solid young man who aspired to play professional rugby league.

"At some point during the latter part of the incident, Ms Asiata said to Mr Q he was
either 'pretty much fired' or simply, 'fired'. Post would maintain it was the latter," the decision said.

Mr Q was also observed by another witness driving at high speed out of the carpark's entrance, rather than the exit, narrowly avoiding another car and the gate, the decision said.

Mr Q, who was already on an "extended final warning" resigned but after initially inquiring as to her well-being, NZ Post management sent her a letter stating she had "acted outside her level of authority by informing an employee that [his] employment was terminated without regard for correct process and consequently exposing Post to considerable risk of a personal grievance".

She was subsequently issued with a final written warning, which stated that someone with her level of training and experience should be able to "manage the situation in a procedurally correct manner".

"Your behaviour and conduct did not meet the company's requirements," the letter said.

ERA member Andrew Dallas said no amount of training could have prepared Asiata for the situation.

"Consequently, I do not accept Post's evidence and submissions, extensive as
it was, Ms Asiata had been trained to deal the situation she was confronted with and should not have allowed it to escalate in the manner it did," he said.

Dallas accepted that telling Mr Q he was "fired" or "pretty much fired" was a poor choice of words, but this should have been be viewed within the context of the situation.

"I am satisfied Ms Asiata was sworn at, threatened with violence and subject to personal insults from Mr Q," he said.

The ERA ordered that Asiata be reinstated to the position she was in before the warning was issued and that NZ Post pay her $10,200 compensation for hurt, humiliation and injury to feelings.

NZ Post said it did not comment on employment relation matters.

Contact details for Asiata could not be found and NZ Post declined a request to pass the Herald reporter's contact detail on to her.