Speed dial mis-hit - what the boss heard

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Salesman Russell Steel accidentally speed-dialled his boss while he was slagging his company and its products to a client.

The 20-minute call was monitored - and soon after, Mr Steel was sacked.

Now he is trying to get his job back.

Mr Steel, who had worked for Steelpipe in Onehunga for 39 years, accidentally triggered his cellphone's speed dial to his employer during a meeting with a client he had known for 13 years.

Another colleague answered the phone and heard Mr Steel criticising company managers and the quality of the firm's products, and discussing how a dispute between Steelpipe and the client could be resolved on "less favourable terms" to the company.

The person listening to the call wrote down Mr Steel's remarks and showed them to his boss.

The senior sales engineer was sacked after a disciplinary hearing.

The Employment Relations Authority has refused his application for interim reinstatement while his case is considered.

Mr Steel has brought a personal grievance against the company over his dismissal.

He has told the authority he was only "venting" to the client.

Steelpipe general manager James Hawkes told Mr Steel he did not find any of his responses credible or persuasive, "with the result I have lost all trust and confidence in you".

Mr Hawkes told the authority that Mr Steel could not now work with his former colleagues or be trusted to be alone with clients.

Authority member Robin Arthur said he found some of Mr Steel's comments "clearly not consistent with faithful service".

"However, it remains arguable ... that a single established instance of apparent infidelity, through careless talk, did not justify a conclusion of an absolute loss of trust and confidence against the background of such long service."

Mr Arthur said it was not practical for Mr Steel to be supervised, and his reinstatement could cause "ill will and tension" among other Steelpipe staff.

It would be up to Steelpipe to justify the decision it made to dismiss Mr Steel.

The hearing will take place next month.

Employment lawyer Garry Pollak is representing Mr Steel. He told the Herald it was an unusual case, but his client still wanted his job back.

"One of the problems is that he is in a specialised job and there are very few opportunities these days," Mr Pollak said.

Mr Hawkes said the company had gone through due process and believed Mr Steel had been treated fairly.