I used to be a manager in government and there are 2 issues here:
- insubordination
- media exposure
under common law employment contract an employee is bound to do what the employee tells them to do as long as it isn't illegal, unsafe or violates the employment contract. To not follow a direct order brings discipline or even dismissal.
As far the media exposure goes I'm not sure what happened but no Public Employee of the Province can talk to the media about their employment without approval from the employer. If they do the consequences are the same.
this is not a 3 strike situation it's one strike. He made his ethical choices and now he has to live with them
Personally I don't agree with what the Province is doing here and the COs manager should have shot the baby bears himself if the other guy couldn't, but the Premier, the Cabinet and their toady senior administrators care about their asses first on the list of priorities and right or wrong is last on the list - IMHO.
The BCGEU has indicated it will take this through the grievance process which means it will likely go to mediation so there can be hope an arbitrator will reverse this decision.