I worked for a large multinational and represented the workforce.The "Personnel Dept" as it was,acted as a buffer between the workers and "awkward" managers.Often nipping problems in the bud.Nowadays Human Resources are simply an extension of management to implement the policies of higher management

le berger, teesside, u.k.

Legally this guy is in the wrong, but he does have the moral high ground warning his co-workers of plans afoot to reduce their redundancy pay.
M&S are known to buy from far eastern sweatshop manufacturers but, of course, that is just fine, trading off the backs of child labour.

Jeffers, Maidstone, UK

You (readers) are making assumptions about confidentiality agreements, most employees have not signed one, especially those who have been there a long time.

Companies often behave as if staff have no right to discuss matters with anyone else in the world, technically not even to family and friends.

James, London, UK

I am appalled that M&S should act in this way. It is vindictive and misplaced. If M&S was not ashamed of its actions, why would it object to this information being in the public domain? I shall not be shopping at M&S in the future - and I have done so regularly until now.

Michele , Swansea,

There is a whistleblower act but it only applies to:

a criminal offence;
the breach of a legal obligation;
a miscarriage of justice;
a danger to the health and safety of any individual;
damage to the environment; or
deliberate covering up of information tending to show any of the above.

John Wood, Hull, UK

I personally won't shop at M&S again too. The information was practically in the public domain. Really surprised that a company that holds itself out to be ethical would do this, David vs Goliath.

Richard, Chester,

It doesn't surprise me that a HR boss can glibly say that "25 year service counts for nothing". The modern HR approach is to treat employees as bland statistics - human resources - rather than real people, while burgeoning HR departments are often a self-important non-productive waste of space.

Chris K, Cheltenham, UK

Will all the people on here saying that he violated his contract please think before they type misguided nonsense. This case if left unchallenged will lead to other retailers getting away with the same "criminal" activity. There is nothing on an M&S contract that states that he could not do this

Stephen , Cheltenham, United Kingdom

I'm not sure the company was legally and morally right in this case, but they certainly don't come out smelling of roses. The whistle-blower only wanted to alert people to the company's plans to shaft its employees. The fact he only gets eight days of redundancy proves he was right.

BOYCOTT - YES!

Jeff, Morden, UK

The power big retailers have now to change the rules when it suits them and with trade unions having little or no power means that Mr/Mrs average have to accept the "New terms" or face being outcast. Take a look at Bank holidays now being classed by a number of retailers as a normal day.

John, Devon,

It is a sad indictment of a persons working life when their employer is quoted as saying that their "25 year service counts for nothing".
Why should the employee be loyal to a company who feels that way.

Please take note all other Marks and Spencer employees!!!

Chris, Bristol,

What a bunch you Brits have become! What happend to dealing in the truth? This person promised in contract to keep M&S information confidential. He then broke that promise (probably concerned that his own redundancy payment might suffer). He got exactly what he deserved. THERE IS A RIGHT AND WRONG !

james, Blackpool,

This wasn't whistleblowing. This was disclosing confidential company information. He broke the company rules. Result: gross misconduct = instant dismisal. He only has himself to blame. GMB needs to wake up to reality, ie, the way staff should not behave. Must go - need to get my shopping from M&S.

Anne, Brighton, UK

In technical terms, this man is in breach of contract and can therefore be summarily dismissed. I sympathise with him, because morally he's right, but he is in breach of the law and M&S can do this because, unlike the ads, they aren't ethical.

Of course, I shall buy my sandwiches from Boots!

Andrew, Fareham,

What? how can you support this person? He told people confidential information that would have been worth a lot to the media. He should have to pay back every shareholder the money they may have lost from his actions, aswell as attempting to destroy morale within a business. £700.00 was a good deal

Sunny, Coventry,

I think they are on shakey ground legally here. Surely when info is diseminated to staff it then becomes public domain? He didn't come by the information illictly then blab did he? Bad PR for M&S I think. Could have been handled better I think by the over paid army of lawyers i'm sure they have!

alan, buxton, derbyshire

‘All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing’
Well, we know what Mike, Sam and Laura are.

Peter, Medina Sidonia, Spain

Sam - think you will find that shopper boycott will send shivers down M and S - retailers with a recession coming are in a bad enough state as it is without additional bad publicity such as this..

Ian , Croydon,

Surely he could have submitted this information anonomously?

Bob, London,

The employees of M & S should start a collection for their collegue. Whistleblowers should be protected.
Northern Rock (a failed company backrolled by us all) used our money to hire a £600 an hour lawyer to pursue the whistleblower who alerted the public to the state of that shower.

Emily, London,

25 years and all he gets is that rediculous amount of money for spilling the beans about the behavior of m&s viles management.
What an inditement on the company

alex Leigh, carshalton, uk

I've boycotted the company for years. Mostly because the clothes are dreary, the food is predictable and over-packaged and they're SO complacent. There are quite a lot of sanctimonious comments here. I suppose it's ok to shaft your employees and try to keep it quiet.

Margaret, Cheltenham, UK

The guy should be sacked, he obviously is not trustworthy and has got what he deserves.

Ken, London, UK

This only re-enforces my descision never to shop at M&S.
When Company directors who failed this company can walk away with fat pay cheques, only proves that one rule for the bosses and another for the slaves.I hope his union appeal to this inappropriate action.

tom, Ryde,

Grow up! Why boycott M&S? For sacking someone who broke the rules? They already offered generous redudancy terms over and above the statutory requirement. They chose to reduce those terms during a time where all companies and all individuals need to TIGHTEN THEIR BELTS to weather the recession.

John FM, Leeds,

I wholeheartedly agree Paul. I shall be writing to

Marks & Spencer Plc
PO Box 288
Warrington
WA5 7WZ

to voice my disgust.

Mike, Bristol,

Absolutely the right decision.

The man violated his terms of employment, the codes of conduct and confidentiality agreement as an employee at Head Office.

The GMB claim they're all about keeping to the rules, but not by employees is it?

And Paul, Spalding, I'll shop more and more at M&S now!

Laura Roberts, London, UK

Yep, well done Paul. That will sent shiver down M&S and the company will run into loss because you stopped shopping there.

Sam, London, UK

I fully support the comments from Paul. The only way to stop bullying is to vote with your custom.

Robert Keogh, Derby,

I don't normally shop there, but I'll make sure I never do again.

Rob, Hull,

It's confidential information to the company that has been handed over to the media. What did they expect, to had this information over and not expect M&S to do anything.
Most of us of a non disclosure agreement in our contracts - Break that and it's gross misconduct and out the door. No sympathy

Mike Scott, Southampton, UK

i wont ever shop at M&S again and urge people to boycott this company

PAUL, spalding, LINCS