Fired because of hurt ego

[mpotts]

Arizona: I am doing research for my husband. He was fired 10-4-00 for "insubordination". It started when he took this newspaper job (he was Circulation Mgr) 3-22-99. Everything was going fine until he started pointing out the things that needed to be fixed. He had asked the General Mgr repeatedly that they needed to have an earlier press time so they could get the newspaper out to the people earlier, but to no avail. Finally, my husband went to the owner of the paper and discussed it with him. About 4 wks later the General Mgr announced that they would be moving to an earlier press time. Well, in July while the General Mgr was on vacation for 2 wks, the Publisher gives my husband 2 tentative dates when the presses would start earlier. My husband wrote a memo to the carriers stating this and said nothing would be final until the General Mgr came back and approved it. When the General Mgr came back he was furious because my husband sent out this memo. He wrote him up for insubordination and over-stepping his bounds. Then in late September my husband's dept had an opening. He and the General Mgr had a discussion about my husband's friend taking the position. The General Mgr didn't like it. My husband just asked for the General Mgr to meet with his friend to see for himself that his friend was quailified. The General Mgr never did meet with his friend and they still didn't have anybody for 2 wks. The office was in dire need of someone so my husband went on and hired his friend on 10-4-00. (My husband had always in the past been able to hire and fire as he saw fit) Then on the same day, the General Mgr fired both of them. My husband for insubordination. We had talked with an attorney but he said we really didn't have a case because Arizona is a "Right to Work" state. I'm sorry, I live in America, and just because we live in Arizona, I refuse to believe we have no rights!!!! Anyone have any suggestions???

 

[Always searching]

In what seems like a lifetime ago, I worked at a Cox newspaper. From what I have seen, the egos are so large at newspapers that it is amazing that they can walk through the doors. Circulation managers work by far the hardest and get dumped on with S h i t from everyone. The pressure alone would give me a headache just to think about it. The paper itself, delivery, pickup, personnel, everything. Not that this helps in your situation, but I lost my job because of a large ego too. Legally, I don't think you have a leg to stand on. I would if I were you, get a free consultation with an employment attorney and have he or she draft a letter stating what can and can not be stated if someone else calls for a job reference. Jumping rank just made the GM mad. Things don't change in the newspaper unless the Publisher wants them changed. The people that want things changed, leave quickly. I too saw that. The internet is taking some of that pomposity away from the newpapers. It is still a vital part of everyday life in most people's lives. I would take care of the potential reference problem before he finds another newspaper job. They are also notorious for chatting about their former employees. The initial consultation is free and you can see if you have some sort of case. I just don't think there is anything worth sueing over even though what happened wasn't right. I learned my lessons about jumping rank and I don't do that any more. Even though improvement is a positive thing, it isn't necessarily something that happens or something people want to happen. Shame but status quo is prevalent.