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Worker sacked over ‘dead flowers’ accuses HR of being ‘petty’

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A worker for supermarket chain the Co-op claims she was pushed out of her job over a row about a bunch of out-of-date flowers.

Mary Whitner gave a bunch of wilting flowers to a customer when they failed to scan.

According to the report by the BBC, Whitner was told to “resign or be sacked”, after 23 years in the job.

Whitner, 59, said Co-op management had been “petty and small-minded”. As part of her defence, Whitner said the customer had bought three bunches of flowers and when the fourth were found to be out-of-date she told the customer she could keep them.

The Co-op, which denies Whitner was sacked over the flowers incident alone, said: “In all staff matters, there are strict HR policies, agreed with relevant unions that are adhered to by local management and HR personnel.

“I must emphasise that no staff member at our Burgess Hill store had their employment terminated because of a bunch of flowers.”

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Annie Hayes

Editor

Read more from Annie Hayes