The Fair Work Commission has ruled that a Canberra bus driver was not unfairly dismissed following his sacking for threatening “another Columbine”. Peter Lambos was fired by ACTION buses after he made the disturbing threat in December 2014, which references the high school gun massacre of 1999 in Columbine, Colorado that caused the death of 15 people. The industrial tribunal found that the bus company was correct to sack Lambos. Lambos claimed that he was raising issues regarding health and safety in a phone conversation with ACTION’s health and safety boss, Julie Mylchreest. She reported feeling shaken and sick following their “disturbing” exchange, in which Lambos alluded to “reprisals” for what he described as “the despicable attitude of ACTION management”. Lambos disputed some details of the conversation but admitted the reference to Columbine. Lambos was ultimately sacked after a psychiatric assessment found no justification for his behaviour.
