In the Efteling amusement park, misconduct by two employees led to disciplinary actions. They allowed former colleagues to take control of a roller coaster, leading to a legal dispute.
Background of the Incident
On November 28th of the previous year, two on-duty employees at Efteling Park allowed former colleagues to operate the controls of the famous roller coaster, Baron 1898. This unusual action, in which the former employees were allowed to press the start button of the attraction, occurred under the supervision of another Efteling employee who, despite the situation, did not intervene. A later-arriving staff member also refrained from taking action.
Consequences for the Involved Employees
Because of their actions, the two responsible employees were temporarily suspended from their duties at Efteling. They also received an official warning and were demoted from their positions as operators of the attraction to regular attraction employees, without a reduction in pay.
Legal Dispute
The decision of the park to take disciplinary action led to a legal dispute with one of the employees, who did not accept the measures taken against him. After internal discussions led to no result, the concerned employee decided to take legal steps and filed for a preliminary injunction. This is to be adjudicated on April 3rd, as reported by Brabants Dagblad.
Efteling’s Official Statement
In an official statement, Efteling declared that it is fundamentally not permitted to allow non-employees to control attractions. Although in this specific case there was no immediate danger – the former employees were familiar with the operation – such actions are still not in accordance with the park's safety regulations. Efteling, however, did not see the dismissal of the involved employees as necessary but did see the need to impose consequences.
Conclusion
The incident at Efteling highlights the importance of strictly adhering to safety protocols and procedures, even when dealing with former employees. While the park insists on following its guidelines, the decision to go to court shows that the affected employees view the situation differently.
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