OPINION: From a Tribunal to a field in just a day

Mike had been sacked from a job at a petrol station. The basis for dismissal was "gross misconduct". Mike had, he admitted, taken some money from the till, but maintained it was because his employer had failed to pay his wages. The case was complicated by further factors, which I will not go into here. Suffice to say that Mike wanted me as his representative. I said I wasn't competent to take this on, but he was insistent. He trusted me and only wanted me to do it. I rose to the challenge and queued up at the social security office, in the line for those whose surname begins with W, for booklets on industrial tribunals. When I asked, I was told I could have independent representation... I told them that was what I was doing and was quickly moved to another, more comfortable, seat.