NLC Update (17/08/15)

I wrote to Sir Paul Kenny last week about the fact that applicants for the role of GMB Organisers must be willing to work in the interests of the Labour Party.

Now like many, in fact the great majority, of Scots these days I do not support the Labour Party and, quite frankly, I fail to see how the GMB can insist that this is a key requirement for the job of representing grassroots GMB members.   

In fact, I believe this job criterion is discriminatory and contrary to UK equality legislation which makes it unlawful to deny someone a job because they do not share their prospective employer's political beliefs.

So I now plan to contact the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in Scotland and will invite the EHRC to agree with me that the GMB's behaviour is not just outrageous, but unlawful in this day and age. 


Dear Sir Paul

GMB and Equality Legislation

I refer to my letter dated 24 July 2014 and enclose the extract from the ACAS guide for employers and employees on 'Religion or Belief and the Workplace': 

1.2  Direct discrimination means that workers or job applicants must not be treated less favourably than others because they follow, are perceived to follow, or do not follow a particular (or any) religion or belief.  For example it is unlawful to: • decide not to employ someone• dismiss them• refuse to provide them with training• deny them promotion• give them adverse terms and conditions because they follow, or do not follow, a particular religion or belief. Example: At interview it becomes apparent that a job applicant is Hindu. Although the applicant has all the skills and competences required of the job, the organisation decides not to offer him the job because he is a Hindu. This is direct discrimination.

The example given by ACAS relates to religion, but in my view the requirement that GMB job applicants must be willing to work in the interests of the Labour Party must also be discriminatory because, as a matter of common sense, this criterion much exclude people who actively support other political parties, the SNP or Greens for example.

I have yet to receive an reply to my previous letter which may be due the holiday period, but if I do not hear from you by Monday 17 August 2015 please note that I intend to taking the matter up with the EHCR in Scotland.
Kind regards

Mark Irvine