Ford dealer technician finds clean oil 'suspicious'
When he took a pickup out for a test ride after servicing it, an auto mechanic with the Municipality of Wood Buffalo in Alberta caused the truck’s engine to seize.
Peter Haitas was hired as a journeyman light-duty mechanic with the municipality in October 2012. On Feb. 5, 2014, Haitas worked on a 2010 Ford F-150 pickup truck, which was in the shop for routine maintenance.
Haitas testified he put the vehicle on a hoist and drained the oil, while he replaced the power steering hose.
When the oil was drained, Haitas said he poured new oil into the filter and let it run for a minute, while it was on the shop floor. He inspected the gauges, which showed all fluid levels as normal, then let the engine run for about 10 more minutes.
Haitas said he then took the truck out for a brief test ride, but after about a half–kilometre, while driving up a hill, the engine gave a “chuckle” and the starter only made a “click-click-click” sound before seizing fully. Haitas was able to turn it around and coast down the hill back to the machine shop.
He walked up to colleague Chad Coulombe and asked for his help to bring the truck back into the shop. Coulombe testified that Haitas said, “I’ve fucked up, I didn’t put any oil in it.”
However, Haitas claimed he didn’t say anything like that to Coulombe.
Haitas then spoke with Robert Walsh, fleet technical supervisor, about the seized engine. Walsh realized it was still under warranty so it was returned to the local Ford dealer, Northstar Ford.
On Feb. 10, Chris MacDonald, mechanic at the dealership, inspected the pickup. He testified the oil in the filter was “completely clean” which he found “suspicious” as engine oil typically had some residue if the vehicle had been driven.
He told his superiors that in his opinion, the truck was driven without any oil, leading to its seizure.
The truck was fixed and the municipality wasn’t charged for anything because it was under warranty.
Walsh eventually reviewed the invoice from Northstar in April and decided the “suspicious” finding from MacDonald should be further investigated. He spoke with Coulombe, who told him about Haitas’ comment that he didn’t put oil in the pickup truck.
During an investigation meeting with Haitas on May 27, he maintained that he did place oil into the engine before driving it.
But on June 25, Haitas was terminated for failing to put in oil in teh truck and for his dishonesty after the fact.
The employer decided to pay for the expense of the repair — which was about $16,000 — after it decided that Haitas was not telling the truth.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Local 1505, grieved the decision two days later and argued the just-cause reasoning wasn’t strong enough to warrant a dismissal, especially considering Haitas had no previous discipline on file.
Arbitrator Leslie Wallace dismissed the grievance.
“(Haitas’) insistence upon denying responsibility and constructing an alternative version of events that supported the claim of innocence — first to his employer and ultimately to the arbitration hearing — displayed a continuing unwillingness to own up to his responsibility,” said Wallace.
Because the cost to the municipality was not insubstantial, according to Wallace, the firing was justified, said the arbitrator.
“This was a significant loss resulting from (Haitas’) failure to properly perform what was plainly an elementary part of his maintenance procedure. Unquestionably a disciplinary response was warranted,” said Wallace.
“(Haitas’) willingness to thus shift the financial burden of the repair to Ford showed a disregard for the business relationship between Ford and his employer that is troubling,” said Wallace.
Reference: Wood Buffalo (Regional Municipality) and Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 1505. J. Leslie Wallace — arbitrator. Danielle Emmett for the employer. Robert Szollosy, Stephanie Lustig for the employee. July 26, 2017.
