"Union Lied at Jobs Hearing"
Here's what the paper had to say - just another example of a big trade union letting its members down - which explains why they try and ride on the coat tails of Action 4 Equality Scotland.
"Union lied at jobs hearing "
"Raymond Williamson: one of the union’s witnesses gave evidence that was ‘almost totally incredible’.
Union chiefs have been accused of lying at an employment tribunal about the transfer of thousands of council jobs and now face six-figure legal costs .
Raymond Williamson, the tribunal judge, said Unite provided evidence that was “almost totally incredible”, and deliberately misconstrued the position of Glasgow City Council on staff rights.
He also rejected Unite’s tribunal bid and ordered the union, the largest in the UK, to pick up the legal costs for the dispute.
The damning findings followed a six-day hearing into the process by which the council set up City Building in 2006.
The creation of the new body, one of many arm’s-length organisations established by former council leader Steven Purcell, resulted in about 2,000 staff being transferred from the local authority’s old building services department.
Unite, then Amicus, opposed the shake-up over fears it could lead to job losses, and went to the tribunal on the grounds that it had not been provided with information regarding the changes.
Both the council and City Building were the respondents in the case.
In a written submission, Unite representatives claimed that the union had not been given enough time by the council to consult on the date of the transfer, or on its legal, social and economic implications.
They also claimed they had not been informed at an early stage about changes in the disciplinary structures of staff, arguments that were rejected by the council.
In response, the council stated that the union’s witnesses had lied to the tribunal as they continued to be “implacably opposed” to the transfer.
The employment judge’s ruling made clear that he sided with the council and City Building.
In dismissing the union’s claims, Mr Williamson had harsh criticism for Unite regional secretary Alan Finlayson, listed as one of the union’s witnesses.
His judgment stated: “The tribunal found Mr Finlayson’s evidence almost totally incredible.
“The tribunal did not believe he [Mr Finlayson] was either negligent or incompetent but that he deliberately lied to the tribunal.”
“It follows from the tribunal’s findings that the claimant has deliberately misconstrued and misrepresented the first respondent’s position and lied to the tribunal that the claim is vexatious and/or unreasonable and/or misconceived.”
The decision is a rare piece of good news for City Building, which has endured a barrage of negative publicity over its links to Scottish Labour.
The limited liability partnership (LLP) has been criticised for awarding lucrative contracts to firms owned by party donors and for handing Labour about £4,000 for attending two fundraising dinners.
It was revealed earlier this week that City Building had asked Labour to return the cash after council chief executive George Black banned the practice.
Unite is currently Labour’s largest financial contributor, effectively bankrolling the election campaign.
Since Gordon Brown became Prime Minister in 2007, the union has handed over more than £11 million to the party.
A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: “We are pleased at the outcome.”
A City Building spokesperson said: “We are obviously very pleased that this issue has come to a satisfactory conclusion and that the tribunal has unanimously judged that the correct TUPE procedure was followed when the LLP was formed.”
No-one from Unite was available for comment last night.
The union is currently involved in a costly dispute with British Airways that resulted in two lengthy stoppages earlier this month.
It has opened a £700,000 war chest to help cabin crew fight the bitter dispute over pay and conditions."
