Left stalwart who helped uncover sexual misconduct of previous regime says why she wants to lead TSSA rail union now
Labour movement stalwart Bonnie Craven has announced that she will stand for election as the TSSA rail union’s next general secretary, following the removal of its previous leadership team after the damning Kennedy report on sexual harassment and misconduct at the union. As Skwawkbox exclusively revealed, the Manuel Cortes regime had also withheld an earlier, similarly damning report that concluded sexual harassment and racial discrimination were rife.
In addition to the harassment and discrimination findings, the previous leadership had suppressed at least two merger approaches from the left-led RMT rail union in order to push through first a merger with the right-wing US Boilermakers union and then, when that fell through last year, the right-run GMB union.
Ms Craven said of her bid:
I am running for GS because many members have asked me to do so. Having started working life with London Underground I know the transport and travel industries very well.
I was one of the women that blew the whistle on the unacceptable practices of our former senior managers after withstanding years of bullying and harassment. The TSSA was seemingly being forced into a managed decline, so poor were the practices of the former SMT [senior management team].
As a trusted and respected member of staff I am uniquely placed to work with the members and the elected EC to rebuild our union and make it stronger as we move forward.
The Kennedy Report recommended that the most suitable general secretary would be someone just like me.
As a woman in the trade union movement and in our industries I am a minority. I will work to ensure that every member, and member of staff, knows that they are valued and that their interests are paramount to all we do for them in the TSSA.
Ms Craven has also released a video to announce her candidacy and
Based on her track record and her vision for the union, Skwawkbox asks TSSA members to support Ms Craven’s bid.
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I hope many of TSSA’s 17,000 members support Bonnie Craven’s candidacy and that her Members Moving Forward vision and manifesto attract the same strong member-support that United Left achieved for its EC in Unite.
Bonnie Craven would make a fantastic GS.