Tributes paid to Mike Grindley

Civil service unions have paid tribute to Mike Grindley, who died last month aged 85.

In the 1980s, he led a high-profile campaign against the Thatcher government’s ban on trade unions at the GCHQ intelligence agency.

Prospect described him as “one of 14 defiant trade union members” who refused to give up their union membership when the ban took effect in March 1984.

And PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said Grindley paid a “massive price” for his principled decision, which saw him sacked in 1988 for defying the ban.

He added: “After many years of campaigning, his brave stance paid off when the law was changed and unions were reinstated, and we’re proud that the GCHQ branch is still an important part of PCS.”