Exclusive: Unite exec member takes Unite to court over ‘dodgy’ promotion

Appointment was made without ratification by Unite exec as required by union’s rules. Case comes as staff strike over inaction on complaints of abuse against Sharon Graham’s husband and others

The Unite union is being taken to court by a member of its ruling executive over the promotion of former regional director Sarah Carpenter to the position of Sharon Graham’s chief of staff, which he says was done outside the union’s rules because the appointment was not ratified by Unite’s elected executive.

Eddie Cassidy is one of the executive’s members for Scotland and is fronting the case, but anger is widespread among senior union figures. The case has been published to the Certification Officer’s schedule, but the name of the person promoted is not shown. However, Skwawkbox understands it is Ms Carpenter.

The Carpenter case is not the only such allegation that has been made involving Sharon Graham. Her husband Jack Clarke was on a final warning for his abusive conduct toward staff, particularly women – and staff had submitted both recordings and transcripts of the abuse – yet he was promoted, outside the union’s usual procedures, to run the union’s ‘National Bargaining and Disputes Support Unit’ (BDSU), reporting directly to Graham and she has been accused of asking union staff to destroy evidence against him. The union has never denied the allegations, although it has accused Skwawkbox of ‘peddling lies’ and covering the matter for political reasons.

Tomorrow, BDSU staff will take strike action over alleged bullying and misogyny by Clarke and other managers in the unit – and have accused Unite of ‘union-busting’ after it suspended the workers who had made complaints against Graham’s husband and others. None of the alleged bullies have been suspended.

In 2022, Unite dismissed complaints of racism against Tony Seaman, a senior ally of Ms Graham, despite agreeing that his social media posts that led to complaints had been racist. Seaman was the ‘project-specific convenor’ on the union’s Birmingham conference centre project. Graham campaigned to become Unite general secretary on a platform of ‘cleaning up’ alleged corruption in the project – Skwawkbox understands that a police investigation has found no wrongdoing, although no formal announcement has yet been made.

Skwawkbox will cover the 16 December hearing in the Cassidy v Unite case. Unite has been contacted for comment.

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