LEWISHAM Council has been accused of racist union-busting after it tried to sack both of its Unison branch secretaries as it prepares to make £25 million worth of cuts.
Protesters gathered outside the south-east London borough’s town hall on Wednesday evening.
They hit out at the Labour-controlled authority’s plans to make redundant Britain’s youngest Unison branch secretary Justine Canady.
They say the council is also moving to sack former black members’ officer Jay Kidd-Morton, alongside the rest of her team in the legal services department, and that she had lodged a whistleblowing complaint about discriminatory practices.
In an email to members earlier this month, Lewisham Unison described the moves as “a shocking and blatant attempt at union-busting,” saying “there is now a case not only of anti-trade union victimisations, but also of racism.”
Union officials have stated members could move towards strike action if the sackings are not called off.
Ed Whitby of Unison’s local government service group executive, who attended the protest, said council chiefs responded to the successes of the branch’s new leadership by sacking both main union reps on the eve of making £25m of cuts.
“Everyone knows what this is — disgraceful, blatant union busting, coupled with institutional racism,” he added.
“Unison will not let its activists be victimised in this way, and the whole trade union movement must unite and mobilise to see these moves defeated.
“All but one of the councillors in Lewisham are Labour. Many will be union members and reps themselves, and all of them were elected to represent workers and trade unions.
“They have a political and moral duty to ensure that Jay, Justine and others whose jobs are under threat are not made redundant.”
A spokeswoman for Lewisham Council said: “We strongly deny these allegations and much of the information that has been shared is not accurate. The ongoing, confidential issues are related to two representatives’ employment with the Council, not to their union roles.
“In both cases we are following our normal HR processes, as we would for any member of staff in similar circumstances. We cannot give union representatives preferential treatment, which would be unfair to the rest of our staff.
“In the meantime, we are in active dialogue and discussions with Unison to ensure members will continue to be represented, whatever the outcome.”
