I agree with your logic - to "face dismissal" means that there is a prospect of dismissal, but dismissal is not certain, but the word "automatic" seems intended to imply that dismissal will be inevitable.

I read this as leaving management with the opportunity of a bit of leeway if they want it - i.e. they can and may simply dismiss an offender on the spot, and there would be no grounds for objecting if they did so, but if they chose to decide there were special circumstances and they weren't going to dismiss the person, they would also be entitled to do this.

Perphaps it's a bit like saying "The company reserves the right to automatically dismiss ..." - they can do it, but they don't absolutely have to (but in the case of the message you quote I think they probably will!)

facing dismissal could mean either being threatened with dismissal OR that dismissal will probably or definitely happen. The only thing it definitely does mean is that the dismissal has not yet occurred.



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Note added at 10 mins (2008-11-06 14:54:39 GMT)
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I would disagree with Jack only in that the language of the employee policy you cite leaves open the possibility (perhaps as a result of careless wording) that the employeee who drinks might not actually be dismissed. If drinking automatically led to dismissal, the policy ought to read:

Please be advised that anybody found drinking alcohol, or in the possession of alcohol, on the premises of company X will be automatically dismissed on the grounds of gross misconduct.''

In US English, "terminated" is typically used in such contexts.

dismissal procedure according employment law and regulations