GMB Hit By New Claims From Senior Women

The GMB union has been plunged into fresh internal conflict as two senior female members raised serious complaints just months before a key leadership vote. Their allegations add to long-standing questions about the union’s workplace culture and come as its general secretary faces a possible re-election fight in May. One senior staffer, who was dismissed after an internal probe, has lodged an employment claim for unfair dismissal. Her sacking followed an investigation carried out after she made a formal complaint of bullying and harassment. She told the union’s central executive committee that her firing was retaliatory and accused senior male colleagues of creating a climate of control and fear. The union later sought and recovered nearly 700 files she had been holding, saying they had been retained in breach of contract and included complaints from more junior staff about her conduct. A second senior woman, still employed but currently off sick, also wrote to the committee describing bullying and harassment she said involved union leaders. She told colleagues she could no longer overlook what she viewed as damaging behaviour from those at the top. GMB says the first staff member was dismissed after complaints that she had made racist remarks were upheld and stresses that her grievance claims were investigated and not sustained. The union says the second woman’s whistleblowing complaint was fully investigated over several months and found to be unsubstantiated. GMB reiterated it has “zero tolerance” for discrimination and that it has acted where concerns were identified. That account is disputed by a union representative acting for the dismissed employee, who says she was let go without a proper investigation or hearing and has since taken the matter to an employment tribunal. The timing matters. GMB is a major donor to the Labour party and counts leading politicians among its members. A contested general secretary election would occur against the backdrop of these allegations and a five-year effort to overhaul a culture once described in an independent report as “institutionally sexist.” A follow-up review found only 11 of roughly 27 recommendations fully implemented, and acknowledged ongoing problems. Voices inside GMB are divided. Some staff say little has changed; others argue the union has made real improvements, including tighter anti-harassment policies. Either way, the dispute exposes more than interpersonal conflict — it tests whether reforms have taken root and how the union will handle governance, transparency and trust as it heads into a high-stakes year. --- Managing your business finances? TaxAce provides smart online accountancy services for UK businesses with flexible monthly plans. Image and reporting: https://www.theguardian.com | Read original article