Exclusive: TSSA reps vote unanimously for Eslamdoust’s removal

TSSA rail union reps have voted unanimously for the removal of the union’s general secretary for over two years of alleged victimisation and abuse of union staff.

TSSA wants Eslamdoust out

21 out of 21 ‘NMC’ (national management staff) reps in Network Rail voted in favour of a motion calling for the immediate suspension and investigation of Maryam Eslamdoust. Union staff have been in dispute with Eslamdoust for two years, including repeated strike action, over complaints of bullying, victimisation and harassment.

Eslamdoust has also repeatedly and publicly attacked the GMB union that represents TSSA staff in their workplace, including twice in the national media. She has suspended a number of GMB reps as part of what staff say are anti-union manoeuvres aimed at breaking their industrial action. Her allies on the union’s executive expelled TSSA’s retired assistant general secretary for whistle-blowing about abuse and anti-democratic manoeuvres.

Eslamdoust has been the subject of repeated, heavily-supported no-confidence motions, and wrecked the union’s conference to prevent another. She and her team have twice annulled elections in which members had voted her rivals into the key positions of treasurer and president.

And on the same day as the new unanimous vote against her, TSSA declared her ally as the new, uncontested treasurer after again suspending the candidate who beat her.

Yet Eslamdoust told the Guardian on Monday (19 January) that she is being targeted because she is a woman and the GMB should stop ‘interfering in [her] work’.

Featured image via the Canary