Charity boss wants 'anyone but Labour' so she doesn't have to give her staff sick pay

A charity boss has come under fire after posting a message imploring others to vote for 'anyone but Labour' because she claims workers will have more rights and it will cost her more money.

Jeannette Preston, founder and voluntary chief executive of Pants Cancers in Penryn, took to Nextdoor, the hyperlocal social networking service for neighbourhoods, claiming that if Labour wins the General Election, workers' rights - especially around sick pay - will be further protected when she says it is already a struggle to run a business.

In her post, seen by CornwallLive, Mrs Preston, who survived womb cancer in 2007 and decided to set up the charity to raise awareness of gynaecological and testicular cancers and funds for cancer services in Cornwall, said she has been hit hard by long-term staff sickness due to work-related stress but still has to pay the workers.

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She wrote: "I dread the idea of Labour being in charge. They plan to increase workers' rights. Those who employ staff know just how many rights workers have. Sickness is easy and I have two off each for three months at a time with work stress. Six months each so far. I have to pay their sickness, pay replacement and they accumulate leave.

"I have no rights but plenty of responsibilities, including investigating when other staff have made statements alleging bullying. We were saved by Rishi with furlough for staff and grants but now we're seriously under threat. Please don't vote Labour. Anyone but Labour."

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Mrs Preston's comment was part of a neighbourly debate on the social media site about who to vote for at the General Election with various people explaining why they will vote the way they will.

Under her comment, CJ Ing, a dad of two who launched the original debate, said he would vote Labour because "things have to change" and he wants his teenagers to have a dentist that "we don't have to drive miles for, I want them to have opportunities in life, and I'm sick and tired of the gimmicks and sleaze of the Tories".

In his response to Mrs Preston, he wrote: "Maybe you should look into the work stress issue they have suffered? I've employed 20 to 40 people most of my working life and have never encountered that situation.

"Surely you have a moral duty to investigate bullying claims? To be honest with that attitude to your team I'm not surprised you've got unresolved HR issues. But please don't preach and condemn Labour because of your own organisation's leadership failings."

Vivienne Newton agreed adding: "I’m sure the charity's staff would be delighted to read how you feel about them. I’d be investigating why there’s stress occurring in the workforce, similarly, I would be concerned if bullying was going on. Surely legislation or not, you want to investigate these things, particularly as the charity you founded is one of support and empathy. Maybe book yourself on a management course?"

Chris Ingram, chairman of Continal, a 25-years-old Cornish business and one of the UK's leading suppliers of energy-efficient warm-water underfloor heating systems, who spotted Mrs Preston's comment on Nextdoor, told CornwallLive that demonising your staff is never the solution to a successful business but working with them is.

He said: "It can be difficult to manage people in any organisation, company or charity, and in my 35 years of running businesses I've found that the solution to a lot of these sorts of problems is to not demonise your staff, but to listen, and if it feels uncomfortable then as the CEO you need to reflect on your own opinions, and then take positive action. Getting angry about workers' rights isn't the best way to deal with this, and sadly I worry about the management culture at Pants, when the CEO isn't listening."

When we approached Mrs Preston she apologised for her action saying she shouldn't have become political. She said: "I should not have posted anything.

"It is only small business owners who would understand the rights of workers and the responsibilities of their employers and the fact that doctors hear only one side. I am afraid I cannot be seen to be political - so as I say, I should not have posted anything."