A WORKER at one of Worcester's biggest companies has been given a final written warning for talking to the Press.

Martin Kirk, who works in the spares department at Worcester Heat Systems, claims he was hauled in front of bosses for a disciplinary hearing after giving information to the Evening News.

He claims he has been wronged and that the information - relating to 18 temporary contract workers - was neither confidential nor damaging to the company.

Managers at Worcester Heat Systems, in Warndon, have accused him of gross misconduct and put him on a 12-month final written warning.

He has also had to stand down as shop steward for the union Amicus AEEU, and been removed from the works committee.

"I haven't done anything wrong. I think it's disgusting," said Mr Kirk, aged 46, who has been with the company for six years.

"I'm very angry about it. It's not very fair. I'm hanging on a thread and only have to infringe one tiny thing and I'm down the road.

"I could understand it if it was a contentious issue, but it's not and it doesn't reveal anything confidential."

The article, which appeared on Monday, September 23, revealed that 18 temporary contract workers had been asked to leave the company four weeks before their contracts expired.

Mr Kirk, from Warndon, claims he was told the workers would be receiving letters on Friday, September 20, advising them of this.

But managers at Worcester Heat Systems, also known as Worcester Bosch, disagree.

A letter confirming the details of Mr Kirk's disciplinary hearing, on Friday, October 4, states that he "unilaterally released information to the Press in order to portray the company in a negative light and bring it into disrepute".

The letter says Mr Kirk's actions represented a breach of the confidentiality agreement within the terms and conditions of his employment and that, as a consequence of his actions, the relationship between the company and the union had been undermined.

When contacted by the Evening News, Steve Munn, manufacturing manager at Worcester Heat Systems, said the company had no comment to make on the matter.

Mr Kirk plans to appeal against the final written warning.

"I'm going to go all the way with this one. I'm not going to be told I can't speak to the Press."