Former WIN TV exec wins case
A former WIN television executive has been awarded over $400,000 after successfully suing the company over breach-of-contract.
- Published by David Knox
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A former WIN television executive has been awarded over $400,000 after successfully suing the company over breach-of-contract in the Federal Court.
Rodney Hockey, a former general manager at WIN, alleged that Bermuda-based billionaire Bruce Gordon had bullied him and referred to him as the “manager of the toilet rolls and the weeds”.
Hockey resigned in February last year, but under the terms of his employment he was entitled to be paid out until September 3rd this year.
Hockey raised his concerns about Gordon’s “intimidation” with executive chairman Andrew Gordon, son of Bruce Gordon, during a management reshuffle. Hockey claims Gordon told him “We agree that if you accept one of the new roles and the intimidation starts again, you can just opt out and have your contract paid in full.”
Hockey’s lawyer, John Laxon, says WIN reneged on an agreement.
“He was made a promise by the executive chairman of the company. They looked each other in the eye, they shook hands . . . and then WIN reneged on that agreement,” he said.
WIN chief executive Andrew Lancaster said in an affidavit that to his knowledge Hockey had never made a complaint of bullying under the company’s bullying policy.
But Justice Alan Robertson today ruled that a letter varying Hockey’s employment contract was not ambiguous and ruled in his favour.
The parties were ordered to come to terms over the exact amount of the payout, or the matter would return to court.
One Response
Hockey said it was Andrew Gordon who said if he was intimidated again he could opt out and get paid. You have Bruce Gordon saying that.