Hero firefighter who allowed colleagues to make use of the time period ‘fireman’ after girl complained of derogatory sexists remarks has been left ‘in a nasty place’
A hero firefighter forced out of his job after failing to challenge sexism including colleagues saying ‘fireman’ instead of ‘firefighter’ has been left ‘in a really bad way mentally’.
Simon Bailey, who was previously praised for his bravery, lost his 27-year career at Avon Fire and Rescue Service and was left £15,000 out of pocket after losing an unfair dismissal case.
His colleague Sasha Acheson claimed she was ‘belittled’ and targeted by her superiors Crew Manager Dean Davies and Mr Bailey, who was Watch Manager at her station.
Avon Fire and Rescue admitted to ‘persistent sexual derogatory and offensive comments’ towards or about women – which created an ‘openly and over sexist and discriminatory workplace environment’.
Mr Bailey, 59, who denies using the term ‘fireman’ himself, was issued a final written warning in July 2023 after a tribunal heard he oversaw an ‘openly sexist’ workplace environment.
He subsequently quit due to stress and brought an unfair dismissal claim against the fire service, which was dismissed.
Lifelong friend and former firefighter Jack Russell said: ‘He’s not taken it too well, the whole process over the last three years has worn him down.
‘Mentally he’s in a really bad way, he needs help, his partner’s very good with him and a few others are.
Simon Bailey (pictured), 59, was handed a warning after failing to challenge colleagues for using the term ‘fireman’
Mr Bailey lost his 27-year career at Avon Fire and Rescue and was left £15,000 out of pocket after losing an unfair dismissal case
The disciplinary probe came after female firefighter Sasha Acheson (pictured) claimed she experienced sexual harassment, discrimination and victimisation at the station
‘This has all resulted from the stress of this process, it hasn’t left him broke and he still has his pension but he’s had to start off again.
‘Simon isn’t sexist. He loved helping and developing other firefighters and must’ve worked with hundreds of men and women over his career, it doesn’t matter who they are or anything.’
Ms Acheson, who is gay, won claims of sex discrimination, constructive dismissal, sex harassment, victimisation and harassment on the grounds of sexual orientation. She would receive a payout of more than £52,000.
Mr Bailey claimed when he raised her concerns about her crew manager, he was ‘shell-shocked’ by and ‘mildly aggressive’ in tone towards Ms Acheson. Mr Bailey was given a final written warning in July 2023, but was not demoted.
Mr Bailey, who had previously received a letter of commendation from his bosses, said he had been left feeling ‘humiliated’ by the proceedings.
After taking time off work on sick leave, he resigned from his role as Watch Manager in September 2023 and launched an unfair dismissal case against the service claiming constructive dismissal.
But he has now lost his claim, after an employment tribunal ruled his bosses had been ‘reasonable’ to reprimand him for his lack of action following former England women’s rugby player Ms Acheson’s complaint.
Mr Bailey, 59, who denies using the term ‘fireman’ himself, was issued a final written warning in July 2023 after a tribunal heard he oversaw an ‘openly sexist’ workplace environment
Mr Bailey has previously been praised for his bravery as a firefighter
In it he wrote: ‘I would like to try to help him recover some of his costs, as at the end of the day it wasn’t him who used the word “Fireman”.
‘Every little bit will help this guy out.
‘The British “wokes” need to look at the real issues, not words that are being used.’
Ms Acheson complained about the behaviour of her colleagues in July 2021, with part of the issue being their continued use of the word ‘fireman’.
She claimed she challenged peers when it was used ‘with a smile’ or a ‘groan’, and on one occasion, a firefighter responded: ‘I will stop saying fireman when they stop specifically recruiting only firewomen.’
She added that a crew manager had ‘treated her like a probie [someone on probation], not respected her, belittled her and put her down’.
In a separate incident, Ms Acheson alleged women were called ‘snakes with tits’ by staff.
Avon Fire and Rescue Service would later admit male colleagues ‘openly and frequently made openly sexist comments with managers joining in and even starting the banter’.
In May 2021, CM Davies told colleagues he and Ms Acheson had watched porn together, had a ‘bonding moment’ and so were at ‘next level’ whilst moving ‘uncomfortably close’ by putting his arm around her – inferring an intimate relationship.
The Bristol tribunal ruled this was ‘clearly sexual harassment’.
In July 2021, when discussing a new female recruit, CM Davies asked ‘is she fit?’.
It was heard bosses were heard discussing a female firefighter said ‘yeah she’s been in the gym, she should have been in the kitchen working up a sweat instead’ – which the tribunal found ‘simply reflects straightforwardly [the] sexist assumption that a woman’s place was in the kitchen’.
During an investigative interview, Mr Bailey said that the term fireman was used ‘quite commonly, rightly or wrongly’.
A probe into the incident later found Mr Bailey should have challenged his crew members about using the term ‘fireman’ instead of ‘firefighter’
‘I’m old-fashioned. I don’t use it, but I don’t see a problem. It’s pretty obvious to me that that term should not be used anymore,’ he said.
He admitted that he never challenged anyone for saying fireman rather than firefighter – but claimed he might have joked ‘you can’t say that’.
He said the language at the station ‘[was] not squeaky clean all the time’, but he believed it to be ‘respectful’.
When asked about comments, one of his colleagues said: ‘[They are] not malicious. There is banter with everyone.
‘When there are girls there – someone might make a joke, who is doing the dishes?’
A probe into the incident later found Mr Bailey should have challenged his crew members about using the term ‘fireman’ instead of ‘firefighter’.
In December 2021, Ms Acheson went on sick leave and did not return until her employment tribunal ended in May 2022.
She won her sexual harassment, discrimination and victimisation case, and received a payout of over £52,000.
Mr Bailey later received a written warning for failing to confront his colleagues, and suffered a downward mental spiral as a result. He eventually left the force.
Mr Bailey worked for Avon Fire & Rescue Service between October 1996 until his resignation in September 2023.
He was promoted to Crew Manager in 2007, and by 2013 he had been promoted to Watch Manager B – a senior position which assists in the management of the station.
Part of this role meant he managed conduct and performance problems within the station.
During Ms Acheson’s tribunal, he accepted ‘in hindsight’ the use of the term had the ‘potential to cause offence’.
Ms Acheson complained about the behaviour of her colleagues in July 2021, with part of the issue being their continued use of the word ‘fireman’
‘I have spent 25 years in AF&RS, and I joined just after the transition from fireman to firefighter had taken place. Yet, since joining, the term ‘fireman’ has been endemic,’ he said.
‘It is embedded, not only in the fire service, but in society generally.’
Employment Judge Richard Woodhead found the sanction the hero firefighter had been given was ‘reasonable’.
Judge Woodhead said: ‘[Mr Bailey] did not challenge the use of this term when he heard it.
‘I do not consider it a serious matter that the term ‘Fireman’ continued to be used on occasion on [Mr Bailey’s] watch.
‘As some of those interviewed said, it might be used by accident. I can see nothing problematic about the term being used to refer to a male firefighter.
‘It was not sustainable for [Mr Bailey] to have asserted that he did not hear demeaning comments or that language used on his watch was respectful when it is clear that jokes that were demeaning and stereotyped women were made on the Watch for which he was responsible.
‘It is not probable that, when he conceded that there were jokey comments that were not squeaky clean, [Mr Bailey] was not referring to the jokes that played on old fashioned stereotypes based on sex, as recorded in Mrs Martin’s report and as reported by members of his watch.
‘[Mr Bailey] clearly knew that there was such a culture.
‘It is clear to me that, in imposing the sanction that it did on [Mr Bailey], the Fire Service did not act in a way calculated to destroy or seriously damage the relationship of trust and confidence with [Mr Bailey].’
Chief Fire Officer Matt Cook said: ‘As Chief Fire Officer, I am committed to providing a professional, inclusive, and respectful environment for everyone working at Avon Fire and Rescue Service.
‘I take allegations of discrimination and harassment extremely seriously and I will always act to ensure that our values and standards are upheld.
‘I remain focused on improving our workplace to ensure all colleagues feel safe, supported, and respected.’
Ms Acheson declined to speak to the Daily Mail about the case.
