Sacked Compass chef reinstated at Heathrow hotel

The head chef at the Compass Group-run restaurant at the Arora International Hotel Heathrow who was dismissed in July after a row over going home to look after his children has been reinstated.

Virgilio Teixira was sacked on 31 July after he left the hotel premises on 29 June despite his shift replacement oversleeping and failing to turn up on time.

Although Compass insisted it had done nothing wrong as Teixira "understood his responsibilities", the GMB union claimed unfair dismissal on the grounds that he had no choice but to leave as he had to look after his children while his wife went to work.

Following a successful internal appeal hearing in August, Teixira has now been reinstated into the £20,000 a year role. The initial disciplinary action was quashed, although the chef will have a final warning on his file for 12 months.

A spokesman for Compass said: "Following a thorough internal investigation, we have we have reinstated the head chef at the Arora International."

GMB branch secretary Perry Phillips, who represented Teixira, described the decision as a "real victory" for the chef, the union and Compass.

"The management realised that they have to take account of their employee's family commitments and the strain that can be caused by not having the proper procedures in place to help workers meet all their responsibility both at work and at home," he said.

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By Daniel Thomas

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