Caleb Withers: Launceston Airport contractor’s firing headed to FWC

The firing of a security contractor at a Tasmanian airport who was allegedly too trigger-happy in handing out parking tickets is headed to the Fair Work Commission, it can be revealed.

South Launceston airport security guard Caleb Withers

A kerbside security contractor who worked at Launceston Airport for 14 months before he was suddenly given his marching orders after three complaints by people he gave parking tickets to says he is “devastated” and slammed his employer’s “sham investigation”.

South Launceston man Caleb Withers, 23, was employed by security contractor ISS as an ‘aviation protection officer’ from November 3, 2021 to January 18, 2023. He was dismissed 13 days after being stood down pending an investigation.

Mr Withers, a member of United Workers Union, has since commenced an unfair dismissal action with the Fair Work Commission.

His employer fired Mr Withers on the basis that the three complaints against him, on November 29 and December 22, 2022, and January 2 this year, illustrated a breach of the ISS Code of Conduct and Team Member Handbook.

It’s understood that a belief was formed that Mr Withers was too trigger-happy in handing out parking tickets as part of his kerbside security duties and that he was “short” with customers, thereby falling short of the “customer service expectations” of contractors at Launceston Airport.

Launceston Airport. Picture: Rachel Dere/ Launceston Airport Facebook

He also declined to undergo customer service training.

Mr Withers, who had no disciplinary record aside from being warned for lateness, has claimed that his dismissal was harsh, unjust and/or unreasonable.

Mr Withers said that he was not afforded due process because his dismissal was due to an edict from Launceston Airport owner Asia Pacific Airports Corporation (APAC) barring him from the site.

It’s understood APAC cited its contract with ISS, allowing it to retain control of who serviced its site.

South Launceston airport security guard Caleb Withers, 23, has lodged an unfair dismissal case against ISS after he was dismissed on January 18, 2023. Picture: Supplied

Mr Withers denied he was rude, abusive, aggressive, or unprofessional to the three customers who complained. He countered that it was in fact they, one of whom allegedly swore at him, who were rude.

While he admitted to occasionally being “short,” Mr Withers said this was due to an instruction given by ISS to “keep interactions with agitated customers to a minimum,” in the wake of Mr Withers being assaulted on the job on July 25, 2022.

Mr Withers also claimed his alleged conduct was not sufficiently serious to warrant firing, the allegations were not put for him to respond to, and the investigation was a fait accompli, as APAC had already decided to trigger the contractual clause barring him from the site.

Mr Withers told the Mercury his dismissal had “devastated” him and placed he and his mother, who lives with a disability and for whom Mr Withers is the sole-breadwinner, in a parlous financial position.

Follow @humidityreport

“I’m having trouble paying my bills. The rego on the car expired some time ago, I’ve got to find out some way to pay for that. My car insurance expired (on Tuesday). I’ve had to cut out all of the bills that aren’t entirely necessary to survival. I’m only paying rent and electricity at the moment,” he said.

“I’m pretty devastated, I liked the people I was working with and I was working hard to make it a better place to work.”

In a statement provided to the Mercury, ISS said it would vigorously defend the unfair dismissal claim.

APAC said it had no comment to make, as Mr Withers was an ISS employee and the matter was before the commission.

Tasmania Police confirmed it received a complaint about the alleged July 25 assault. It was alleged Mr Withers was pushed to the chest following a verbal altercation.