Goodman unfair dismissal rejected

AN UNFAIR dismissals case taken by a pilot against businessman Larry Goodman was yesterday rejected by the Employment Appeals Tribunal.

Ronan Murtagh, son of Kingspan chief Eugene Murtagh, had worked with Mr Goodman’s firm Venair, flying the beef baron’s private jet until 2009.

Mr Murtagh previously told the tribunal his employment came to an end after he refused to fly with another pilot, referred to as PQ, with whom he had safety issues.

In April 2009, Mr Murtagh and fellow pilot David Dwyer wrote to Mr Goodman to inform him of professional concerns over PQ. Both were refusing to fly with PQ.

The tribunal had heard from Mr Murtagh he realised he had been dismissed because he was “getting no more calls” from Mr Goodman. He had previously been on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week as a personal pilot to the business magnate.

Mr Murtagh rejected proposals Mr Goodman put forward in April aimed at resolving the situation, he previously told the tribunal. Mr Goodman suggested he could return to work for him under protest, and that he would not have to fly with PQ. Mr Murtagh said he did not think it was appropriate to return under protest.

After evidence from Mr Murtagh’s side finished yesterday, Ercus Stewart, for Mr Goodman, applied to have the case dismissed.

Mr Murtagh, he said, had told the tribunal on Tuesday he was not dismissed “30 times”. Mr Stewart did not think he had ever come across a case of unfair dismissal “where a claimant confirmed, affirmed and reaffirmed that he was not dismissed”. He urged the tribunal to dismiss the claim on Mr Murtagh’s “clear evidence that he was not dismissed”.

Tom Mallon, for Mr Murtagh, said his client had said he was not dismissed, but also said he did not resign. His evidence was that Mr Goodman did not say “you are fired”, but it simply drifted away and was “definitely not resignation”, Mr Mallon said.

The tribunal ruled there had been “no dismissal”.

Mr Goodman said afterwards he was happy with the result as there was no dismissal.