A company was yesterday ordered to pay a man Lm550 in compensation after an industrial tribunal ruled that he had been dismissed unfairly.

The tribunal, which was chaired by Harold Walls, heard that Vince Galdes was employed with Alphonse Farrugia and Sons Limited which distributed merchandise for Simonds Farsons Cisk. He was employed in July 1998.

The tribunal heard how Mr Galdes was a deliveryman and some two years into his employment, the company’s management began accusing him that he was stealing drinks which he should have delivered to businesses in Valletta.

He always denied these accusations and one day, Mr Galdes asked the company’s management to substantiate their claims but instead, the management terminated his employment.

According to evidence heard, Mr Galdes used to distribute products very early in the morning and used to leave the boxes behind the shutters of the shops which, at the time, were still closed.

The tribunal heard that this was the work practice laid down by the management and it was never changed, not even when shop owners started to complain that they were finding products missing.

The tribunal heard that even after Mr Galdes was sacked, shop owners still found products missing.

Handing down his judgement, Mr Walls ruled that Mr Galdes had been dismissed unfairly and ordered Alphonse Farrugia and Sons Limited to pay him Lm550 by way of compensation.