GREENWICH & BROMLEY: Ousted Unison secretary blasts 'stalinist' tactics (From News Shopper)

GREENWICH & BROMLEY: Ousted Unison secretary blasts 'stalinist' tactics

7:20am Tuesday 9th March 2010 in

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A BRANCH secretary has blasted his union’s “stalinist” tactics after he had his office “raided” and was banned from his role for two years.

The ban on Greenwich Unison’s Onay Kasab and three others, including Bromley secretary Glenn Kelly, follows the group’s final appeal against a previous three-year ban in a long-running disciplinary process by the union.

It started in 2007 after the activists helped publish a flyer likening union chiefs to the three wise monkeys - an image the union deemed offensive.

Mr Kasab claims that on March 5, the day after he learned of the decision to ban him, his office was “raided” by union officials.

He claims he was forced out of the office and the locks were changed later that day.

Mr Kasab said: “The union’s stalinist methods should shock every trade union member. Morning raids have no place in a democratic union"

He claimed the disciplinary action was politically motivated because of disagreements over his socialist views and criticism of the Labour Party.

During the course of his 13-year leadership, the Greenwich branch increased its membership from 1,500 to 3,500 members and at his final branch meeting at on February 25 members in a packed Woolwich Town Hall gave him a standing ovation.

Mr Kasab says London branch officers have now taken administrative control of the office.

He said: “A number of activists have handed in their resignations because of this.

“It’s going to be a complete mess now because the people who know our cases will no longer be there.”

A spokeswoman for Unison said action had been taken after complaints were received about the leaflets causing racist offence and an attack on union members’ integrity.

The spokeswoman said: “The investigation accepted that actually these were experienced officers and they ought to reasonably have expected to know that such a leaflet might give racist offence to members.”

She denied their approach had been heavy-handed or that Mr Kasab’s office had been “raided”, saying it was important the union’s property was handed over.

She said: “It’s really important that make sure we can continue to support members of our branches.”

Mr Kasab will be taking his case to an employment tribunal next month.

He is also running for Parliament, standing as candidate for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition against Greenwich and Woolwich MP Nick Raynsford.