TRANSPORT for London (TfL) bosses made fools of themselves today when their heavy-handed attempt at union-busting tactics backfired spectacularly.

TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes and fellow union members were on a scheduled promotion visit outside TfL offices when three police officers arrived saying that TfL had asked for them to remove TSSA members from the area.

But TfL commissioner Mike Brown ended up in hot water after the TSSA made a quick phone call to London’s new deputy mayor for transport Heidi Alexander, who told Mr Brown to back off and reminded him that TfL cannot interfere with the union’s right to promote itself to transport workers.