Kevin Curran, general secretary of the GMB, has hit back at accusations that his election to the union leadership was rigged and breached election rules.
Supporters of Curran are accused of diverting ballot papers to a ‘safe house’ where votes were cast in the names of members whose membership had expired or who were dead.
The GMB has launched an internal inquiry into the allegations about the election, which took place in April 2003.
Curran said he strongly refuted the claims and called them “defamatory and scurrilous”.
He said the accusations had come from a small group of powerful vested interests within the GMB who were unwilling to accept the democratic decision of members.
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“GMB members have the right to expect an efficient, modern, democratic union that represents them in the workplace,” he said.
“Their union should not be a platform for personal malice, or a gravy train.”