PRESS NOTICE-FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TRADE UNION COORDINATING GROUP

PRESS NOTICE....................PRESS NOTICE.............
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UNIONS DEMAND RETRACTION OF BALLOT RIGGING SLUR AGAINST RMT…… BALLOT CONDUCTED BY ELECTORAL REFORM SOCIETY

Eight National Unions, who are represented by the Trade Union Coordinating Group, today demanded that the BBC make a full retraction and apology to Bob Crow and the RMT for the completely unsubstantiated allegation used by John Humphrys in his interveiw with Bob Crow on this morning's Today programme.

John McDonnell MP, Parliamentary Convenor of the TUCG, said: "How can a ballot conducted by the Electoral Reform Society be rigged? This was one of the most disgraceful biased performances of an interviewer and of the BBC itself in the history of the BBC and its treatment of trade unions."

"The Court case in which the RMT dispute was discussed did not infer ballot rigging but errors in the ballot making process. Under law, union ballots have to be conducted by an independent scrutineer. This ballot was sent out, counted and completely run by the Electoral Reform Society. The idea that ballot papers were sent out to derelict Signal Boxes is a complete myth; not a single ballot paper was sent out to any Signal Box or workplace. They were sent out by the ERS to RMT members’ homes.”

“For an allegation of ballot rigging to be made on the Today Programme is an appalling slur on both the union and Bob Crow himself and brings discredit on the whole of the BBC. We are demanding that a retraction is made by the BBC and an apology given and Mr Crow is given an opportunity to explain the RMT’s case without this biased interference."

Mark Serwotka, PCS General Secretary, said; “The real story here is not the actions of the RMT, which are clearly beyond reproach, but why we have laws in this country that make it virtually impossible for people to defend themselves.”

“Rather than slurring the RMT the BBC should be examining why bosses and judges have the power to prevent unions taking legitimate industrial action to defend their members. A full repeal of the anti-union laws introduced by Margaret Thatcher is long overdue.

“The right to strike is essential to any democratic society. If we forget that we are moving into very dangerous territory.”

-Ends-

Notes to Editors:

The Trade Union Ccordinating Group brings together eight National Unions (BFAWU, FBU, NAPO, NUJ, PCS, POA, RMT & URTU) representing over half a million members to coordinate their campaigning work both in Parliament and beyond.

For further comment or interview:

Geoff Martin – RMT Press Officer; 07831 465103

John McDonnell MP: 07956 292576

Simeon Andrews, TUCG Coordinator: 07984 401032