The Greens are calling for a confidential 2019 report into issues at CityClean to be published, saying it would shed light on how they were “held over a barrel” by union reps.
The previous Labour administration commissioned the report after the GMB union threatened strike action during that year’s Pride celebrations.
But despite calls for it to be published at the time, this was refused. In 2021, when the Greens were in power, similar issues led to a two-week strike.
Another report commissioned in May and published last month detailed serious allegations of bullying, racism, homophobia, misogyny and intimidation by GMB reps and members at the refuse service’s Hollingdean depot.
And it outlined how managers were left powerless because of political interference, particularly in disciplinary processes.
Now, Green group convenor councillor Steve Davis wants a special council meeting and publication of the 2019 report, which he says is relevant to the deeper issues at Cityclean.
The latest report, written by senior barrister Aileen McColgan, goes before Brighton and Hove City Council on Thursday, 14 December.
However, Councillor Davis feels there needs to be an open debate about political interference at Cityclean from 2019, which are referred to in Miss McColgan’s report, which affected a two-week strike in 2021.
Councillor Davis said: “We asked for a special council to discuss this as there’s only one Green and Conservative on the Strategy, Finance, and City Regeneration Committee, there can’t be an open debate.
“This is not about other employment issues going on. The 2019 report has context not just on what has been happening for years, but what happened in our administration.”
However, Councillor Davis said a debate on the historic issues was refused as “irrelevant”.
In her report, Miss McColgan said there is evidence that by 2017 bullying behaviour had “become normalised” at Cityclean, including by GMB union representatives within the council.
Following concerns about the behaviour of an unnamed GMB rep there were escalating tensions between the union and the council, resulting in the threat of industrial action over allegations of anti-union activity in 2019.
The conciliation service ACAS became involved and an external investigation carried out by trade unionist Gerry Doherty, who reported he had not received “definitive evidence” of anti-trade union behaviour from management.
Miss McColgan’s report states witnesses described a “high degree of interference from politicians in the disciplinary processes at Cityclean”.
She was told the council’s Policy and Resources Committee (P&R) prevented the suspension of a GMB rep based on the threat of industrial action during Pride weekend.
By contracts a manager who had been involved in the disciplinary investigations into the GMB left the council as union representatives made it clear there would be industrial action if he returned ot Cityclean.
During the two-week strike in 2021, the then Green council leader Phélim Mac Cafferty and his deputy Hannah Allbrooke, asked Councillor Davis to sit in on the negotiations as co-chair of the then Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee.
Councillor Davis said: “I went from activist to councillor to committee co-chair. I was asked to come and sit in on the negotiations.
“I’ve never worked in a corporate environment and I assumed there were HR (human resources) procedures dealing with HR issues.
“I couldn’t believe what was going on. It became apparent they had us over a barrel.”
The barristers report refers to GMB union representatives within Brighton and Hove City Council as among a group of “10 white men” who were “particularly protected by GMB reps within the council”.
He added: “Being in a minority administration is never helpful. In 2021 we had to produce an agreement that we thought would get voted through P&R.
“All four Labour councillors on P&R discussed their links with the GMB. There was a political influence on what happened.”
Councillor Davis described the meetings with union reps during the strike as “incredibly heated”.
He said: “I was surprised there was so much reliance on political intervention.
“If this had been an HR dispute in the housing or parking enforcement team it would have been dealt with without the need for political intervention.
“Out of that strike we did so good stuff. There were five pay grades at the council and we got rid of the lowest two, which during a cost of living crisis is a good thing.”
The full council meeting is due to start at 4.30pm at Hove Town Hall on Thursday 14 December. The meeting is scheduled for webcast on the council website.
Time for ‘microwavegate’ to be finally exposed 🤣
Perhaps we should also publish the secret report around the failure in Home to School transport as well, (which was buried), lets have total openness an honesty.
And the i360 reports as well but I bet green councillor Davis won’t be in favour of that.
And the cost of Beryl Bikes!
Too many clowns in the same Circus, not funny when the rest of the “entertainers” get side lined, just makes for a cheap quality over priced show.
The GMB should be a banned organisation.
Very much disagree with that opinion; unions have been the driving force for improving workers conditions and rights for decades. This instance, bad actors have put that good work into a bad light, and not reflect the overwhelming good that unions do.
In this instance however, those expectations have fallen well short, and I would suspect those bad actors are removed with shame. They have disrespected their duty, and damaged the name of unions.
Hmmm, maybe once upon a time but the unions don’t tend to represent the working class these days, more higher earnings professions. Look at the railways for a great example. Drivers on Final salary pensions, £65k a year, 4 working days a week, 1 week off every 4 weeks. Apparently that’s not good enough lol. Train guards on £36k to check some tickets… Even though technology has rendered their job defunct 5 years ago lol and we wonder why train tickets are so expensive…
City clean is a great example of how some members of staff hold a city to ransom using their union. Because rubbish is stinky and needs collecting. Those involved should all be sacked and black listed from any council jobs. If they tired pulling those games in a private company they would be long gone.
What’s interesting to me is how skewed our perspective is on what a basic wage should be. According to a study by the Josh Rowntree Foundation to live comfortably in the UK with some financial freedom and luxuries, you need £33,600 as an individual, £49,670 as a couple and £67,554 per year for a family of four with two young children.
The GMB are rotten though
They have been trying to spin this as management failings completely glossing over the suicide, bullying , racism, sexism , homophbia and weapons in the GMB Office.
A decent union would own their mistakes and expell the troublemakers.
….and let’s look at the funding for a former Green Leader to go to the USA for a ‘management course’ then leave BHCC and get an officer job at another council.
Oh and what about a local bus company subsidised by the council run by……
Then of course ex Greens claiming child allowance whilst residing in France.
Sorry still think the GMB, should be held to account, and heads should roll. Untill then they should be banned. I also agree with others on this platform, I’ve never earned more than £25K per annum, so everyone who’s on strike now, I have no sympathy with.
“I’m alright Jack.”
Perhaps Steve should also get the previous Green administration involved where Greens under Jason Kitcat “managed” the refuse collection strike by GMB.
Does he remember Jason hiding in the town hall, and Caroline Lucas and several Green councillors getting politically involved and supporting the strikers demands?
Be careful Mr Councillor Davis, or you might find more dirt than you really wanted.