One of Labour’s biggest union backers has been accused of employing “bullyboy tactics” in an alleged attempt to take over a smaller rail union and seize control of its assets. Maryam Eslamdoust, the left-leaning general secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA), claims that the GMB union is using an in-house agreement to block staff recruitment and take control of the white-collar union to access its buildings. She claimed spurious bullying allegations had been launched against her as part of a takeover plot – and that Gary Smith, the head of the GMB and an ally of Keir Starmer, has refused to defuse the row. In response, the GMB has described Elsamdoust’s allegations as “utter nonsense” and says it has no plans to take over the rail union. Eslamdoust, a supporter of Jeremy Corbyn and former mayor of Camden, became the first woman of colour to head a national trade union in September. She replaced Manuel Cortes, who was general secretary for 11 years, who was dismissed for gross misconduct. A bombshell inquiry into TSSA’s working practices by Helena Kennedy KC concluded in February 2023 that female staff at the rail union were subject to sexual touching and manipulative behaviour over many years.
Eslamdoust alleged to the Guardian that the GMB, which represents staff who work within her union, are in effect blocking reforms demanded by Lady Kennedy’s report. “I want to run this union for its members. I want to simultaneously inject some diversity into TSSA’s staff. But all of that has been blocked by the GMB. As a result, I do not have a team around me and have to do my own diary, my own admin and draft social media on top of being general secretary. “Unfortunately, the GMB has a vested interest here, and is unwilling to let us move beyond the scandal that happened last year. And they want to use that as an opportunity to destabilise the TSSA to launch another takeover bid … “We’ve got a very lovely building in Liverpool Street [in London]. I don’t doubt that that is something that the GMB have their eyes on.” She claimed that under a collective bargaining agreement, she had consulted GMB reps on vacancies within the TSSA, but the GMB had in effect blocked recruitment of new members of staff. “It appears to be a bullyboy tactic to destabilise me,” she said. Her allegations come as both the TSSA and GMB, one of Labour’s most generous donors, are attempting to recover from proved claims of sexual harassment. The TSSA was overhauled after the Kennedy report. Merger talks between the union and the GMB broke down in March 2023. Eslamdoust was elected months later on a ticket of fixing its internal problems. Last month, staff working inside the TSSA who are GMB members announced a ballot on industrial action over a “culture of bullying, harassment and victimisation” after Eslamdoust’s election. Eslamdoust said the claims of bullying against her are yet to be explained in detail. She said Smith was attempting to launch a takeover of TSSA. “People within the TUC have confirmed my suspicions that this is another takeover attempt,” she said. “I don’t doubt that politics is probably a determinant too … It would be more convenient for Labour to have a critical voice silenced.” The GMB is facing industrial action over claims it has failed to tackle discrimination. Staff in its north-east, Yorkshire and Humber (NEYH) region, represented by the Unite union, voted to strike last month over claims the GMB had failed to tackle a culture of bullying, misogyny and cronyism. A GMB spokesperson said it was formally invited by TSSA to explore a merger last year but withdrew from the talks in April 2023. They said: “We can 100% guarantee that GMB has no desire to change the status of our current relationship with TSSA. Claims to the contrary are totally false. “Instead of making such unsubstantiated claims, we suggest the TSSA general secretary engages with GMB members working there and listens to the very real concerns they have about their daily working lives. “GMB members are not seeking to block the appointment of new staff. All they want is for the transparent procedures agreed with the interim crises’ leadership team to be upheld, which is not happening … “TSSA staff and their GMB trade union representatives were excited at the election of the new general secretary, recognising it as a real opportunity for the deep and sweeping cultural change required in the organisation. However, staff are disappointed by the new leadership’s failure to follow agreed transparent processes and procedures.” A TUC spokesperson said: “The TUC is very clear: we don’t comment on, or intervene in, relations between unions without the active involvement of those unions.”