Gammon Construction fired the author, Zolna Murray, after only 12 weeks of employment without warning. This has negatively impacted others through no fault of their own, including the real estate agent who helped Murray find housing and the landlord who rented to her. As Gammon relies on partnerships with reputable companies like Swire to maintain its image, its mistreatment of Murray risks damaging the credibility and reputation of these partner companies by association if the issues are not addressed. The author is asking these partner companies, particularly Swire, to intervene with Gammon to remedy the negative impacts of its actions.

1. How many ‘innocent’ people
can potentially ‘lose their face’
When one person chooses to
Save another’s guilty butt?
1

2. This is The story of
Gammon Construction
And their FRIENDS
The question is:
If friends doing good things give their friends
good credibility –
would their bad actions be just as contagious?
2

3. 3
On the 27th of May 2013 Zolna Murray (me) had started
Work with Gammon Construction in Hong Kong
As their new Head Of Innovation

4. 4
On the 19th of August 2013 Zolna Murray (me) was fired
From her position with Gammon Construction in Hong Kong
As their new Head Of Innovation

5. 5
Why should anyone apart from Zolna Murray (me and my family)
care that this happened
Without warning and very swiftly?

6. 6
Because the way Gammon Construction handled this case
(over 12 short weeks)
makes it indeed a very doggy company!

7. 7
Why should anyone apart from Zolna Murray (me) care
that Gammon treats its employees
In a dodgy way? (as long it is contractually right?)

8. 8
Because GOOD companies do not like to
(or should not want to)
Be associated with dodgy companies
Friends doing good things give their friends
good credibility –
Their bad actions must be JUST as contagious?

9. 9
Gammon Construction relies on their
Long term partners (friends) to keep up
Their image of a good company
Companies like SWIRE (1)
From Gammon’s website

10. 10
The MTR Corporation (2)
From Gammon’s website

11. 11
The Airport Authority (3)
From Gammon’s website

12. 12
And the Construction Industry Council (3)
From Gammon’s website

13. 13
And the Architectural Department of the HKSAR GOV. (5)
From Gammon’s website

14. 14
And the University od Hong Kong (6)
From Gammon’s website

15. 15
There are some others too – but to show that
Giving a ‘good’ name for another company
By association should
Not been done lightly,
we’ll look at these 6 friends in more detail…
Starting with a little story, involving
SWIRE Properties…
A story that pulls in others and because
of Gammon’s reckless behaviour
Negatively impacts on many others…

16. 16
Let’s presume that when on the 27th of May 2013 Zolna Murray
started Work with Gammon Construction in Hong Kong
As their new Head Of Innovation She did it
partially because she blieved SWIRE (and the other 5 mentioned)
were Reliable companies and a long term clients of Gammon …
(this is what Gammon’s websites claims)
So these associations had given her some assurance that
Gammon would treat her fairly too

17. 17
Part of the deal that Zolna Murray struck with Gammon
Was to move her family of four (husband + 2 teenage daughters)
From the Middle East to Hong Kong;
The company provided relocation costs, support with finding schools
and accommodation for the first month (so far so good);
Zolna Murray started looking at long term accommodation
for her family in the middle of July
(with the full knowledge of Gammon’s HR)
(this means a min 14 months-long commitment in HK)

18. 18
On the 22nd of July 2013
(less than 2 months into her new job)
Zolna Murray
came across EC (let’s protect her privacy),
An enthusiastic and hard working Real Estate Agent

19. 19
She worked extremely hard
to find something that
Would match all our wishes and requirements and
showed us numerous apartments culminating in one that
We really liked and visited on the 8th of August 2013;

20. 20
Zolna Murray and husband (we) entrusted EC to
Negotiate the lease for the apartment,
which she successfully did on the 8th of August 2013;

21. 21
As part of due diligence EC asked for
A letter to be issued by Zolna’s employer
which Zolna provided on the 13th of August 2013;

22. 22
The letter said that Zolna had been employed since
May and was in a reasonably senior position
With a respected local company;
The letter was dated
12th of August 2013
and had the name of the HR
Director at the bottom

23. 23
So, the question is:
Should EC had been worried,
that she may get duped into someone else’s
dirty game
and
Lose (her own) face by ‘misleading’ the landlord
About the credibility of the tenant
(and her ability to pay for the rent for the next 14 months)
because someone else’s butt was on the line?
Would YOU HAVE been worried?

24. 24
As it happened, Zolna was fired from
Her job within a week of the company certifying
her ‘implied long term employment’ through the letter
Issued; (12/13 - 19th August 2013)

25. 25
Could EC have predicted this?
COULD she have prevented ‘losing her face’
and also unknowingly
Victimise the landlord involved?

26. 26
WOULD ANYONE have predicted this?
Prevented losing their face and also unknowingly
Victimise the landlord involved?

27. 27
After all, the company in question
IS GAMMON Construction

28. 28
A trusted, long term partner
(a friend?) of
Even the apartment in question is in the complex
That bears the fruit of this great friendship:

29. 29
Not to mention all the other landmarks
Of Hong Kong they both claim as their successes:
Pacific Place
Mall
One Island
East
TaiKoo Place

30. So, to repeat the theory about how
Gammon Construction
And their FRIENDS shape the world:
Friends doing good things give their friends
good credibility –
their bad actions must be just as contagious?
30

31. So, if GAMMON does BAD things
That puts innocent people
(EC, the landlord of possibly one
or more of Swire developed properties)
Into difficult positions,
DOES that make SWIRE look BAD too?
31

32. 32
THIS is a PUBLIC question to
Will you ask GAMMON
to fix up
the mess they created,
or will you just
Accept that they are dirtying
Your NAME too?

33. 33
To respond to this question
Please use any of the following methods
Email: zolna.murray@gmail.com
Phone: 852 6597 8683
Or visit us at the Island Place complex
(you know where it is!)

34. 34
For updates on this campaign
Check regularly the following blog:
Gammonandfriends.blogspot