This is just another example of why the rail industry badly needs a proper ombudsman.
I agree that a better ombudsman type service would be beneficial. Do you have any particular idea in mind?
It isn't even whether the lady's complaint was valid or invalid. It is the fact that justice needs to be seen to be done. Companies cannot be trusted to investigate their own complaints, they will inevitably believe their own employee ahead of a customer. I've seen it happen with a verbally abusive bus driver at Stagecoach, of course they were going to believe him over me, that was inevitable.
With respect, it isn't always straightforward. As someone who used to deal with complaints at a senior level, I am aware of the difficulty in investigating complaints that in the end boil down into one person's word against another. It may not be a question of belief, but of whether there is sufficient evidence of wrongdoing to warrant any kind of disciplinary action. And even if action is taken, that will be a private matter between the emploer and employee.
How the allegation is dealt with, will, of necessity, require consideration of the number of incidents (if any) that the person in question has been involved, witness statements corroboration from witnesses, CCTV footage and so on.
For this reason, if I ever have reason to make a complaint against any member of staff for rudeness or verbal abuse, I would not expect to be given any the reply than along the lines of 'thanks for bringing this to our attention, the matetr will be investigated and appropriate action taken as necessary'.
I do, however, know of several employees who have been sacked over incidents with members of the public, but unless the offence is deemed gross misconduct, which can mean summary dismissal, the appropriate warnings must first be given under employment law.
This applies to all occupations, not just transport!
For someone to have invested so much emotional energy in the incident that they're still dwelling on it two years later, all I can say that is that something must have happened.
Yes, I agree. And I am one of those who admires her for wanting to put her side of the story. Unfortunately, a side effect of our laws is that the employee is not in a position to do the same. As such, it is impossible for anyone on this forum to make a proper judgement on what actually occurred.