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Home Brighton

Politicians protected union reps behind toxic culture at Cityclean, says report

by Jo Wadsworth
Wednesday 15 Nov, 2023 at 5:37PM
A A
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Politicians protected union reps behind toxic culture at Cityclean, says report

A report into the “toxic” culture at Cityclean published this week reveals how the city’s politics – and some councillors – played a part in allowing it to continue.

As well as evidence of a litany of abusive and threatening behaviour, largely by GMB reps and a group of “10 white men” they protected, the report says managers were powerless to tackle it because of a lack of political support.

It says panels of councillors reinstated members of the GMB union sacked for gross incompetence on more than one occasion.

During one high profile row in the summer of 2019, a committee chaired by a Labour councillor who was also a GMB member reinstated a rep who had been suspended by management.

The report, written by Aileen McColgan KC, said: “The Council and Policy and Resources Committee prevented the suspension of the GMB rep and permitted his return to the depot in the face of threatened industrial action over the Pride weekend.

“By contrast, a manager who had been involved in disciplinary investigations into the GMB rep left the council with a settlement agreement because, I was told, GMB reps within the council had made it clear that industrial action would ensue if he was returned to Cityclean.

“The message this sent out was that managers at Cityclean were powerless to impose disciplinary sanctions on GMB reps within the council or individuals perceived to be particularly protected by them.”

Among the recommendations of the report is the abolition of member appeals panels – a recommendation made previously in 2017 and 2019 but not acted on to date.

The report said: “Concerns were raised with me about the propriety of allowing panels whose members may have received (and declared) GMB funding, to ‘completely, unashamedly just reverse officer decisions’ relating to GMB reps and/or individuals described to me as being particularly protected by the GMB reps within the council.

“Another witness told me that having politicians sitting on the panels for collective disputes and dismissal cases ‘further enhances the GMB power to subvert normal council processes’.”

It added: The report said: “One manager told me that, in many ways, Cityclean was similar to many other waste and refuse and recycling services in that there was a typical predominantly male manual work force in which issues such as sexism, homophobia and racism were prevalent.

“The real differences in Brighton and Hove were what happened when management tried to deal with those problems. I have found no reason to disagree with this analysis.”

The report says the city’s high rates of shared houses – and therefore bins – access issues and high levels of tourism meant missed collections quickly led to huge piles of waste.

This, coupled with a long succession of no overall control councils, meant minority administrations were particularly vulnerable to the threat of strike action.

Ms McColgan’s report was commissioned by current council leader Bella Sankey shortly after Labour won the first overall majority in the city since 2003.

Some Labour councillors publicly tried to take on GMB – most notably Warren Morgan, who was council leader from 2015 to 2018.

When he resigned in 2018, he told the Argus GMB rep Mark Turner was one of the most influential Labour figures urging him to resign, saying he was “more influential than LCF members [Labour campaign forum, the local group which then selected candidates]”.

Brighton and Hove News has been told that during this time, when Labour councillors complained to GMB Southern Region about reps’ behaviour, the complaints were simply passed back to the reps who had been complained about.

Cllr Morgan, who declined to comment, was succeeded by Daniel Yates, who was council leader from March 2018 to May 2019.

Cllr Yates said: “I’m shocked and appalled by the findings of the report and welcome the proposals for change.

“I especially welcome the proposed removal of councillors from the disciplinary appeals process completely which I always thought a strange arrangement and always avoided being part of.

“Colleagues deserve better, the city deserves better and I hope this report marks a watershed moment.”

Nancy Platts, who was Labour council leader during the period from 2019 to 2020 when a rep was reinstated by councillors because of the threat of strike action, did not respond to a request for commment.

A GMB spokesperson said: “The type of language and behaviours alleged in the report are entirely unacceptable and employees and the people of Brighton and Hove need to have confidence that these have been investigated thoroughly and correctly.

“However, GMB is very concerned that this report fails the basic test of fairness. It has been compiled and published without contributions from people who are the subject of allegations, raising serious questions regarding its balance.

“There are also a number of areas where sweeping allegations are made on the basis of anonymous, unsupported statements that cannot be fairly assessed.

“The limitations of the report does not help with the vital task of ensuring there is a healthy and safe working environment at the City Clean depot.

“GMB is clear – when incidents are identified and properly assessed as not meeting expected standards, we take firm action. Our commitment to facing down discrimination and bad behaviour is unwavering.”

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Comments 24

  1. Chris says:
    2 years ago

    Ahem. Councillors, not politicians. Councillors are elected by local taxpayers to oversee the running of the services and financial affairs of B&H. That is their remit. Nothing more.

    Reply
    • John Walker says:
      2 years ago

      So, local politicians then?

      Reply
      • Benny says:
        2 years ago

        Absolutely. At election time they all have their political affiliation after their name. Local councils should be divorced from mainstream politics. Councillors should be chosen for their contribution to the the city, IQ (if only) and relevant experience of the council’s responsibilities.

        Reply
        • Chris says:
          2 years ago

          I believe that no councilor should have political affiliation as it may bring them into conflict with their remit of running the city. Running a city should be like running a not-for-profit business where the place is run for the benefit of the inhabitants. Being a party member is a bit like a distillery owner running a rehab center.

          Reply
          • Anne says:
            2 years ago

            However, I’ve been to meetings where it’s mainly big egos spouting off, and would be open to people like that filtrating the council…… Which some most probably do via their respective parties.

          • Benjamin says:
            2 years ago

            I think that’s tempered by independently, you have very little influence to make significant change. To be fair, at local level, party affiliation matters very little to the majority.

  2. Stan Reid says:
    2 years ago

    Ah,,, Labour with Union money and backing covering all the escape routes what would one expect, people should be aware that the Council has one job and the Union has another, any interference from one to the other can only be seen as failure by the Council for not doing their job or allowing themselves to be influenced by the Union or both. Should be a separation on the work front… BIG TIME. Councillors should also be excluded if they are Union connected in regards to solving the issues, non connected councillors to remedy, no chance otherwise.

    Reply
  3. Technique says:
    2 years ago

    Well this is hardly surprising. Labour are in bed with the GMB. In a tv interview yesterday Bella Sankey said she was ‘proud to be a GMB member’

    Shame on you.

    And the GMB are victim blaming ~ so GMB, alleged victims of abuse are not, in your opinion, allowed to contribute to this or any enquiry. they are not allowed to have their views heard without your say so.

    Bring back Mrs. Thatcher, she would eat the GMB for breakfast.

    Reply
    • Benjamin says:
      2 years ago

      The thing is Technique, I would have said the same before this came out. The GMB did loads to support the emergency workers strikes, after all. There are some bad actors at play here, and they 100% should be taken into account without a doubt.

      However, the overwhelming good that unions have done for workers should also not be taken for granted because of bad actors. Improved wages, better and safer working conditions, holiday time, working hours, and fair treatment of all in law are all but a few of the things that unions won over the years. People literally died to earn those rights.

      So personally, I am pro-union. This situation, however, is shameful beyond compare.

      Reply
      • Technique says:
        2 years ago

        I’m less sure, Mr. Benjamin. Admittedly, we used to send children up chimneys, and expect people to almost kill themselves to earn a wage.
        However, we are now in a position where delivery drivers have to pee in bottles and people have to work three jobs because one isn’t enough. No union protection for them.
        Modern day unionism seems to be more about causing obstruction, than protecting basic rights of workers (which I’m all for)
        Look at the train drivers, earning £60k+++ and still going on strike.

        Regarding bullying; as someone who was bullied continuously at school, and has been bullied in several workplaces – the only way to stop it was to leave; bullying is a very emotive subject to me.

        And to read that local politicians protected union reps is beyond contempt and fills me with disgust.

        I have (believe it or not) voted Labour in the past. Never ever again.

        Reply
  4. Martin says:
    2 years ago

    Well said. It is a disgrace that this Labour council are so entwined with the GMB. This mob have let our city become a tip, bins left for weeks, no recycling and I thought this was the fault of the Greens. It is clear now where the blame lies, Labour have enabled Mark Turner and his mob to do whatever they want, which means virtually no work but lots of bullying and intimidation. When an election comes around Labour then have the audacity to blame it on the Greens, such bare faced dishonesty and opportunism, while the city becomes dirtier and good people at the depot are intimidated. If this is what Brighton and Hove Labour are about then we are in for a rough ride.

    Reply
  5. CaravanColin64 says:
    2 years ago

    As far as I am aware the Iron Lady had half Grapefruit and a Black coffee with just a dab of milk: certainly no appetite for consuming the GMB …she was far too busy with the NUM!

    Give Bella her due … She’s inherited a shit show but is facing up to the issues: Iron Lady #2

    Reply
    • Anne says:
      2 years ago

      Yes, I would agree with that so far.

      Reply
    • Benjamin says:
      2 years ago

      Definitely not given a good start. How this is now handled will be a good test of the council and Bella’s leadership, methinks. I look forward to seeing the results.

      Reply
  6. Technique says:
    2 years ago

    The perpetrators of the bullying and intimidation need to be summarily dismissed. Now.
    No excuses. No nonsense. No handwringing from do-gooding lefties. Get rid now.

    Show the victims that you mean business.

    This cannot be allowed to continue.

    Bin collections in B&H are a national joke, the staff are overpaid layabouts, only emptying bins when and if they can be bothered (which isn’t very often)

    Further action is needed. Sack the lot of them, and get in a contractor.

    Reply
    • Clive says:
      2 years ago

      I’m old enough to remember when the rubbish collection down here WAS done by a private contractor and it was considerably worse than what we have now. Plus, whatever armchair critics like you may think, it’s not that easy to just sack everybody and start a new service from the ground up.

      The GMB leadership at Citiclean embodies some of the very worst features of union boss politics, but to tar everyone who works there with the same brush is not fair. Most of the time the service works OK and we do still have weekly rubbish collections, which is more than can be said for many other local authorities (including many that are Tory run).

      Bella Sankey and the Labour group deserve credit for commissioning this enquiry. No one else (including the Tories when in power) have dealt with this, and it’s been a running problem for years. They now need to follow up on it.

      Reply
      • Penny Dee says:
        2 years ago

        I doubt Labour commissioned this enquiry – it’s revealing them to be up to their necks in it. I’m betting it was well underway when they came into power and they’re trying to save a bit of face by taking credit. The GMB have long given money to get Labour councillors elected and in Brighton Labour pay them back by backing them all the way as the rubbish piles high and they hold us all to ransom. Labour need to answer to the people of this city.

        Reply
        • Clive says:
          2 years ago

          The current Labour admin did commission the enquiry. That’s a simple point of fact.

          Labour is riven by factions, locally and nationally. It wouldn’t displease the current admin to drop (for example) Nancy Platts in it, because she is not part of their faction.

          The GMB do give money to Labour and it would seem that this has brought about some clear conflicts of interest. But when you have housebuilders and developers giving millions to the Tory party over a long period, it is quite clear that unfortunately, such conflicts of interests are all too common in our politics.

          Reply
          • Clive says:
            2 years ago

            https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/news/2023/council-announces-independent-inquiry-serious-whistleblowing-allegations

            From July this year, so after the May elections.

          • Benjamin says:
            2 years ago

            I’m enjoying your comments, Clive. They are well-reasoned and rationalised, which can be a bit of a rarity here. Lots of emotions in the comments at times. I look forward to hearing more of your thoughts.

  7. Josephine says:
    2 years ago

    So the wage increase was a red herring? We fell for that hook, line and sinker.

    Reply
  8. fed-up-with-brighton-politics says:
    2 years ago

    I didn’t know Ms Sankey was a GMB member – last time I looked it wasn’t declared on her details on the council website, and she might like to rectify that, whereas many Labour councillors do declare it.

    At the last local elections in Kemptown there was a new Labour candidate, who did get elected, and she also said on the election blurb that she was ‘proud to be a GMB member’. Why? Perhaps someone could explain.

    For what it’s worth, Clive above has expressed a rational view. You can’t just ‘sack the lot’ and outsource it all, probably to one of the very few firms that do this job, like Veolia or Biffa or whoever, because, eventually, as he implied, you’ll get similar problems (although, one would hope, not as bad as ‘nun-chucks at the depot’). It was brought back in-house years ago because of poor performance by contractors, as Clive rightly says.
    .
    However, whilst I express no personal view on Cityclean’s performance, because we have communal bins and a kindly neighbour takes the sacks to the bin for me (I can’t manage them) it is very clear from reading B&H News over the years, that many people in various parts of the city don’t get their bins emptied regularly and there are myriad excuses from Cityclean about busted trucks, obstructions in the road and so on.

    So, no, don’t let’s throw the baby out with the bath water. Just root out the rotten eggs at Cityclean, whoever they may be, and reorganise the whole thing properly.

    I think we should give Ms Sankey and the CEO the chance to do this, but we do need to see effective action – and quickly.

    Reply
    • Benjamin says:
      2 years ago

      That’s a good point, has a new CEO been selected?

      Reply
  9. fed-up-with-brighton-politics says:
    2 years ago

    No idea, Benjamin. I think it’s still Will Tuckley at the moment but there doesn’t seem to have been any further announcement about the selection of a permanent person.

    Reply

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