Unison witch-hunt: Reinstate the Four!

Four Socialist Party members, unjustly suspended from office by Unison, have won a major victory at an employment tribunal. On the eve of the Unison national executive last week, a public meeting was held.

The four explained how, after a three-year battle, they have been vindicated. Unison should never have banned them from office. The victory has definitely lifted the morale of Unison activists.

Those present were well aware that the Unison bureaucracy may want to overturn this decision and therefore appeal against it.

Unison branches should pass the latest Defend the Four motion (below) calling for the bans to be lifted and send it to Unison general secretary Dave Prentis.

A noisy lobby of the Unison executive took place the following morning. Around 30 people demanded justice.

Those executive members who have supported the witch-hunt were left in no doubt that the campaign goes on till the bans are lifted.

This Branch welcomes the ruling of the outcome of the recent Employment Tribunal between Glenn Kelly, Onay Kasab, Brian Debus and Suzanne Muna and Unison.

The Judgement stated: "The unanimous judgement of the tribunal is that all the claimants were unjustifiably disciplined contrary to section 64 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidated) Act 1992."

This means Glenn Kelly, Suzanne Muna, Onay Kasab and Brian Debus should never have been disciplined let alone barred from holding office.

This follows a determined campaign by the four and their supporters which has lasted for over three years in which it was widely recognised that the persecution of the four was because they challenged the union leadership and had nothing to do with the disgraceful smear of racism.

We call on Unison to immediately lift the ban on the four from holding office and to end the "regional supervision" of the Bromley, Greenwich and TSA Unison branches.

Unison should desist from spending any more time and money trying to bar these members from holding office.

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