#MeTU: TSSA General Secretary faces sexual harassment allegations
Channel: ReelNews
Date: 2022-05-07

Reel News has been made aware of allegations about the TSSA and senior officers - including the General Secretary. 

The allegations are of a culture of sexism, sexual harassment and drunkenness in the trade union movement; of sexual harassment of staff and others by the General Secretary of the TSSA,Manuel Cortes; of his exclusion from ASLEF events because of it; of the General Secretary of the TSSA having episodes of drunkenness; of verbal harassment by TSSA Organising Director, Luke Chester; of bullying, harassment and grievances being covered up and silenced by senior management staff including Assistant General Secretaries, Frank Ward and Lorraine Ward; and of staff being bullied and performance managed out of their jobs, ending with termination agreements in which they cannot speak out. 

While not criminal allegations these are obviously still very serious allegations, and as such we gave the TSSA the right to reply. Their response is included in full at the end of the video, starting at 16 mins 17 secs.

Solidarity fundraiser to support women speaking out: crowdfunder.co.uk/p/metusolidarity

Next #MeTU meeting: Monday May 16, 5:30pm - 7pm (email metuwomen@gmail.com for zoom link; join anonymously if you need to)

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