Doncaster UNISON Branch Secretary suspended: Defend Jim Board

On Monday 7
September UNISON Branch Secretary, Jim Board was suspended by Doncaster
council for allegedly “failing to follow a reasonable management instruction”
relating to an e mail to all employees not to speak to the media about the
Edlington trial. (The trial found two brothers aged 10 and 12 guilty of torture and sexual humiliation of two
younger boys in the former mining village
of Edlington which comes
under the remit of Doncaster Social Services.)

Unison believes
that it is in the interests of Doncaster council to get Jim out of the way whilst they
get on with the job of cutting pay, jobs and services in Doncaster.
Unison’s regional organiser, Robin Symons said “We view this as an attack on
trade unionism. We are of the view this is victimisation of a trade union
activist and I am quite sure our members are going to be angered by this. I
think everyone who has worked for Doncaster
council has in some way benefited from Jim’s representation and negotiating
skills. I would not be surprised if they wanted to show their support."

And support for
Jim came this Saturday as over 300 supporters demonstrated outside the
Mansionhouse in the centre of Doncaster to
protest against his suspension. Jim has been given the full support of Unison
regionally and nationally and many members came from far and near to speak in
support of him.

Paul Holmes Kirklees Branch Secretary who knows only too
well what it means to be suspended because
of union activity said “This not only an attack on Jim but an
attack on the trade union movement in Doncaster and must be resisted”

At the same time as Jim Board was suspended,
the newly elected Mayor, Peter Davies
was holding a press conference announcing his support for and promotion of a
“new union” – The Workers of England
Union, linked to his own party, The English Democrats. In a statement to the
Daily Mail of 10/8/09 he claimed that he will be ‘looking to see if Doncaster
council bans the use of specific words by staff.’ Davies has argued against so
called political correctness and will get rid of ‘non jobs’ in Doncaster. He has
also proudly boasted that he will axe
those services he thinks are unnecessary such as the translation services
leading to the potential isolation and discrimination
of people who do not have English as a first language. Unison believes that
this attack on the Equalities agenda will not only increase unemployment in Doncaster but increase racism, sexism, homophobia and
social division. The suspension of Jim Board would make that process a lot
easier for Davies.

Send
condemnations of the suspension to the chief Executives of Doncaster
Council, Paul Hart – paul.hart@doncaster.gov.uk
and the Mayor at peter.davies@doncaster.gov.uk.
You can also ring the Mayor’s office on 01302 862225

(UPDATE: Jim has now been reinstated but the position of full-time union rep at the council is still under attack from the Mayor and his cronies – more soon)