The former Marks & Spencer employee who leaked an internal memo to The Times detailing plans to slash redundancy pay did so because he “despaired” about the direction the retailer was taking.
Tony Goode also feared that job losses were looming, an employment tribunal has heard.
Goode was fired after contacting the newspaper in August. He asked to remain anonymous, but Marks & Spencer identified Goode after tracing the company loyalty manager’s correspondence with journalists through his company e-mail account.
The internal email outlined proposals to make a cut of up to 25 per cent in redundancy benefits.
Goode told the tribunal yesterday that he felt that the internal consultation process undertaken by M&S was a “sham” and that “public pressure from a reputable newspaper like The Times might change management’s mind”.
He said he feared changes to redundancy pay plans “foreshadowed redundancies”.
Goode worked for M&S for 25 years when he was sacked for gross misconduct after an internal investigation in September 2008.
In January this year M&S announced that around 1,200 employees would face redundancy.
Goode claims his dismissal was unfair and a breach of his human right to free speech, which M&S denies. The hearing continues.
6 Readers' comments