UNION: GAGGING ORDERS ARE BAD (BUT NOT FOR US)
GMB accused of silencing staff who complain of abuse in workplace
A TRADE union publicly opposed to gagging orders has been using them against its own staff who raise complaints.
The GMB called for a ban on nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) last year – particularly around cases of sexual harassment and discrimination.
But a Sunday Mail investigation has found at least three cases where female employees have been asked to sign gagging orders as part of agreements to settle disputes.
They include conf i d ent i a l i ty c lauses which prohibit them from discussing their claims or speaking negatively about the GMB – the same as an NDA.
Among the cases are women who claimed sex discrimination, harassment, and bullying.
GMB’s general secretary, Gary Smith, is under fire over comments he made in a meeting to a woman who had made a complaint of sexual harassment. She too signed an NDA-style agreement.
The latest revelations come as dozens of GMB staff in the north of England voted to strike over claims the union had not taken action on a 2020 report by KC Karon Monaghan which found the organisation to be “institutionally sexist”. They also claimed disciplinary procedures are not being followed and their own representatives have been intimidated.
Some of the women who have signed gagging orders said they were accused of wrongdoing themselves after lodging grievances.
In one case, a former worker in Scotland was paid more than £20,000 to drop an employment tribunal and
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She originallyally lodged a grievance for sex discriminationon and bullying.
The womann REVEALED Our story last week said: “It is one of the worst experiences I have had in my life and I am still terrified they will come after me if I speak out about what happened.
“As far as I’m concerned I had to sign an NDA. It’s the same as a confidentiality clause. The whole thing is wrong. “A trade union shouldn’t behave this way.”
Last week, the Sunday Mail revealed detailsde of a secret recording of
Gary Smith at a meeting with a female employee who had made a complaint of sexual harassment. He told the woman he was w not going to allow anyone a to put “a wrecking ball” through his union. He told her they had bigger lawyers than her and she had “put a gun on the table” by lodging an employment tribunal.
He also admitted during the twohour meeting, the entire audio of which the Sunday Mail has, that he believed she had indeed been abused by a “scumbag”. She was later sacked over claims of sexual harassment and bullying, which she denies.
GMB said it is considering legal action over the tapes and even emailed Labour MPs to say the comments were “highly misleading and conversations have been taken out of context”.
On Friday, a group of staff wrote to Smith. Their letter stated: “You have said these recordings are selectively edited and taken out of context but there’s nothing that could make those words OK.”
In response, GMB denied asking any staff to sign NDAs adding: “Staff leaving the union are asked to sign standard settlement agreements similar to those routinely used by organisations in the public and private sector.”
Labour MSP and GMB member Monica Lennon called for KC Karon Monaghan to be brought back urgently.
She said: “These serious allegations must be independently investigated.”
UNION BOSS IN BULLY PROBE
A trade union shouldn’t behave in this way EX-EMPLOYEE ON SIGNING CONFIDENTIALITY CLAUSE