Campaign calls for reps’ reinstatement

A PCS campaign to reinstate three of its reps at HMRC in Benton Park View, Newcastle has garnered support from Unite’s Newcastle Community branch and local Labour MPs Ian Lavery and Mary Glindon.

Management has dismissed Gorden Askew, Rachel Farmer and Joel Hamilton, claiming gross misconduct, and launched a disciplinary investigation against another branch officer. But PCS says it is a clear case of trade union victimisation.

The campaign includes a petition calling on James Murray, the minister responsible for HMRC, to seek reinstatement of the sacked reps and to engage with the union so that future cases are handled appropriately and fairly by the department.

Hundreds of PCS members have written to their local MP asking them to sign an early day motion. This sets out that HMRC has rejected appeals against the dismissals, despite evidence that two managers had clearly doctored evidence prior to submission to the investigations, leading to two of the dismissals.