Mobile UPI  |   About UPI  |   UPI en Español  |   UPI Arabic  |   UPIU  |   My Account
Search:
Go

15-year crossing guard fired for smoking

|
|
 
  
Published: Nov. 21, 2008 at 7:41 PM

ESSENDON, Australia, Nov. 21 (UPI) -- An Essendon, Australia, crossing guard said he was fired after 15 years because of his smoking, even though he kept the habit away from children.

Garry Macnamara, who said he has been smoking for about 50 years, said he received a letter three weeks ago from the Moonee Valley City Council informing him of his removal as a crossing supervisor at St. Therese's School, the Sydney Daily Telegraph reported Friday.

He said the letter came on the same day as another letter from the council informing him that he was due to receive an award for long service.

"I used to smoke between eight and 15 of a morning, no one within sight. Definitely no children, I wouldn't smoke in front of children," Macnamara said.

However, Fred Warner, human resources manager for the council, said there is a strict no-smoking policy for on-duty crossing guards and Macnamara had been warned about his smoking at least six times by his supervisor. Warner said officials had offered the crossing guard paid counseling to help him kick the habit.

Recommended Stories
© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
  
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
Protesters, police clash at NATO summit Notable deaths of 2012 2012 Billboard Music Awards
The 137th Preakness Stakes Annual Solar eclipse occurs in U.S. Chen Guangcheng arrives in the U.S.
Additional Odd News Stories
Your Daily Horoscope
The almanac
1 of 23
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Commemorated in Washington
View Caption
A U.S. Air Force B-52 flies over the Vietnam Veterans Memorial during commemoration of 50th anniversary of the war on May 28, 2012 in Washington, DC. President Barack Obama is at the base of the wall left center. More than 58,000 names of the servicemen who were killed or missing in the war are engraved on The Wall. The B-52 bomber was used extensively during the Vietnam War. UPI/Pat Benic
fark
Signs of Summer in Wisconsin...a little backyard grilling, hitting up some of the local hometown...
IFC unveils new game show "Bunk". Sure, it's no Lesbian Nazi Hookers Abducted by UFOs and Forced...
Two weeks ago, a community rallied round couple who lost 6 of their 14 children in a house fire....
Old: Teens binge drinking. Busted: College kids binge drinking. New hotness: Seniors binge drinking...
Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams is saddened that he stole some college students' LSD...
A South Florida software engineer intends to spend $30,000 to trek through the Congo to discover,...