Exclusive: Transport union boss Eslamdoust de-recognises GMB union for doing union stuff

As Skwawkbox has reported, TSSA transport union general secretary Maryam Eslamdoust went to the Guardian to attack the GMB union for representing GMB members. GMB represents TSSA staff in their workplace, but Eslamdoust insists the GMB is ‘constantly interfering’ by fighting for its members’ needs.

As far as Eslamdoust wants us to believe, she is being targeted for being a woman, not for being a boss that 90% of the staff hate working for.

The GMB hit back on Wednesday, telling the Guardian to correct the smears it had published without verifying. Now Eslamdoust and her allies on the TSSA executive have issued a circular effectively de-recognising GMB as the union representing TSSA staff.

Read that again: a union boss de-recognising a union for doing a union’s job and fighting for the protection of its members.

The Orwellian note tells members and staff:

EC [executive committee] statement:

As an Executive Committee, we offer our full and unequivocal support for our democratically elected General Secretary.

Our responsibility is to act in the best interests of our members and to uphold the principles, values, and democratic governance of our union. We take that responsibility seriously and remain focused on ensuring that TSSA continues to operate in a transparent, fair, and accountable manner.

The Executive Committee will not condone or accept the continued targeting of our union’s leadership team,including our General Secretary and Assistant General Secretary. Such actions undermine the stability and effectiveness of the union and are not in the interests of our members or our staff.

Due to the conduct displayed toward our leadership, we will suspend collective discussions with the National Officers of the GMB and continue to focus our engagement on the local GMB representatives within the TSSA staff group.

We urge the local GMB representatives, in their capacity as representatives of TSSA’s paid staff, to engage in meaningful discussions within the framework of the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Outrage in the transport union

The note has caused outrage among TSSA staff, reps and members. They have responded bitterly to the claim that the de-recognition is because of:

conduct displayed toward [TSSA] leadership, we will suspend collective discussions … and continue to focus our engagement on the local GMB representatives within the TSSA staff group.

A major part of the ongoing staff dispute concerns the victimisation, smearing suspension of “local GMB representatives”.

One told Skwawkbox:

It’s like the last days of Nero, with sycophants pledging undying loyalty as Rome burns!!!

Even before this shocking anti-union behaviour, Eslamdoust was despised by TSSA members and staff. They accuse her of bullying and victimisation of staff and reps, and of anti-union tactics when they organise against her. Staff and branches have voted unanimously for motions of no confidence in her. Reps in the union’s biggest branch, Network Rail, this week voted unanimously for Eslamdoust’s removal.

Nine out of ten TSSA staff say working for TSSA under her is “toxic” and damaging their mental health. Staff have suffered a 22% real-terms pay cut. But sure, Eslamdoust’s gender is the issue.

Featured image via the Canary