Unison witch-hunt

Rory Bremner and Mark Thomas speak out

"On the face of it, Unison are about to make themselves look a laughing stock. They need to be very aware of the widespread ridicule this will attract to their union and its leaders, and think again before the papers get hold of this and make them look foolish and authoritarian. They don't need this distraction".

Rory Bremner

"I know Onay Kasab - Kas. I have had the privilege of working with him on the Ilisu Dam Campaign and on the issue of trade unionist deaths in Columbia. To accuse him of being racist is utter stupidity and madness ... those who brought this charge need to take a lie down in a quiet room, possibly with whale music playing and get a rest or they need to acknowledge their actions are motivated by other factors".

Mark Thomas

AS THE Socialist goes to press, four Socialist Party members in the trade union Unison are facing a three-day union 'disciplinary hearing'. This is for producing and handing out a leaflet at the last Unison conference that objected to important issues being removed from the conference agenda.

To hide the real motive for the attack - which is to silence fighters against low pay, cuts and privatisation - the four have been charged with several concocted offences, including causing 'racist offence' by using a cartoon on the leaflet of the well-known, ancient 'three wise monkeys' proverb.

The four are: Onay Kasab - secretary of Greenwich Unison; Glenn Kelly - secretary of Bromley Unison and a Unison national executive member; Suzanne Muna - secretary of the Housing Corporation Unison branch; and Brian Debus - chair of Hackney Unison.

The above messages of support from comedian Rory Bremner and comedian/journalist Mark Thomas are among many others sent to the four.