Brendan Ogle is the leading Irish trade unionist whose wife says Unite is forcing out of his role for political reasons. Get a flavour of who he is in this video clip
Brendan Ogle is Unite’s most senior officer in the Republic of Ireland, who has just returned to work after cancer treatment. His wife this week told media that the union’s management is trying to coerce him into a junior role – she told the Irish Examiner that she believes this is being done for political reasons under Unite’s new management. Unite branches in Ireland have begun arranging votes of solidarity with Mr Ogle and activists in the Right2Water campaign Ogle has supported have said it will no longer work with Unite.
But if you’re not a Unite member in Ireland, you may never have heard of Brendan Ogle – so watch this short clip of him in action on Irish television for a flavour:
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Perhaps none of this would be going on if Steve Turner was the General Secretary? Nothing against Howard Beckett, but it was clear to most people within Unite that he didn’t stand a chance at winning.
Had Turner won, Beckett will have retained his position as Deputy and once Turner retired it would have been Beckett’s turn.
Still thanks God for small mercies that Coyne didn’t won, it could have been worse had Beckett decided to follow foolish advice and decided to run for the position of Unite General Secretary.
Turner’s fatal mistake was to allow himself to be persuaded to support Beckett’s policies which would have been an anathema to many of Turner’s natural supporters.
SteveH, you are talking nonsense. Speaking as a Turner supporter, I actually supported Beckett’s policies.
Turner lost because he didn’t run an efficient campaign, he didn’t attend hustings with Coyne and Graham, believing that he will win on name’s recognition and the fact that he had the most industrial branches nominations and both Beckett and McCluskey were supporting him.
Maria – ….and I suspect that both Beckett and McCluskey got the outcome that they wanted.
SteveH, why are you casting aspersions on Beckett and McCluskey? Do you have any factual evidence that both of them wanted Turner to lose?
I know for a fact that Beckett endorsed Turner and so was McCluskey. It isn’t like Beckett retained his position but was rather demoted soon after Graham was elected.
Don’t you think that had Beckett supported Graham for the position, he wouldn’t have been demoted?
Maria – If Beckett had supported Graham, (who was much closer to his own politics than Turner ever was), then Turner would probably have won. Just my own conclusions from observing the campaign at the time.
Becketts policies?mr H?….please clarify as steve turner was a dyed in the wool union man with shopfloor experience unlike the others.
Joseph – It would be difficult to put together a cogent argument that Turner and Beckett shared supporter bases and policy platforms. But please feel free to give it a go, if you must.
Are we assuming that Ireland is part of the British Isles & the Labour Party should field candidates?
This man is a real Trade Unionist – is it any wonder he is being discriminated against and hounded out by Sharon Graham/ Unite’s new leadership.
As one of the contributors posted earlier she is “Starmer in a Skirt”