Talks aimed at merging the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) into the GMB union have ended.
The GMB union stated this week: “In recent days, it has become clear to us that significant issues stand in the way of any potential transfer, and we no longer have the confidence that those leading TSSA share the same interests as us and wish for the same outcomes.”
TSSA has been embroiled in controversy since allegations of sexual harassment and bullying came to light last year.
The union stated that had been in comprehensive discussions aiming to “understand the challenges being faced by TSSA”.
It added that the matter would be further discussed by the GMB’s central executive committee on 4 April.
Two reports, one by Helena Kennedy QC and one by Professor Hazel Conley and Dr Stefano Gasparri, published in February 2023, had been highly critical of the TSSA’s senior officials.
The Conley report said: “The senior management culture described by the staff and members we interviewed is ‘cliquey’ and ‘toxic’, predicated on bullying, harassment and sexual harassment, using fear, victimisation and legal means to build ‘a wall of silence’.”
Then general secretary of TSSA, Manuel Cortes, resigned after being personally implicated in alleged harassment and bullying. He said he could not remember the incident because of excessive drinking. An injunction had been won by the union forbidding the female employee from making her accusations public.
TSSA, which has nearly 18,000 members in the transport and travel sectors, entered into talks with GMB over a merger in January and papers were formally lodged with the certification officer in February. It said that “following the Kennedy and Conley reports, TSSA is taking a fresh look at the union’s strategic priorities and is prioritising implementation of the recommendations from each report”.
Whereas the GMB, which has more than 500,000 members, stated it did not wish to “continue to pursue the transfer of engagements of TSSA”, the latter described the ending of discussions as a “pause”.
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Former deputy general secretary of the National Education Union Peter Pendle was appointed as interim (joint) TSSA general secretary in the wake of the reports’ findings. He said at the time: “Both the Kennedy and Conley reports call for sweeping culture change and for TSSA to transition into a well-functioning organisation and I will be guided by that in my work at TSSA. I’m committed to ensuring the report recommendations are implemented in full and ensuring the union functions well for its members and staff.”
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