The GMB trade union is embroiled in fresh internal conflict following serious allegations from two of its most senior female officials, casting a long shadow over a crucial leadership election scheduled for May.
Allegations of Retribution and a 'Culture of Fear'
The crisis centres on claims from a female member of the senior leadership team who was dismissed from her post. She was sacked following an investigation into alleged racist comments, an accusation she denies. However, her dismissal came months after she herself had submitted a formal complaint of bullying and harassment against General Secretary Gary Smith and other senior male colleagues.
Following her termination, she emailed the union's entire Central Executive Committee (CEC). In the communication, she asserted that her dismissal was an act of retribution directly linked to her earlier complaint. She also warned of governance contraventions and urged the committee to address leaders she accused of fostering a "culture of fear and control."
The situation escalated when the GMB subsequently sought and obtained a High Court injunction to force the return of approximately 700 documents she had retained after her departure.
A Second Senior Voice and a Legacy of Institutional Sexism
A second female senior leader, still employed but currently off sick, has also come forward. She emailed the CEC to state she had reported bullying and harassment involving the union's leadership. She is understood to have told the committee she could no longer ignore the "unacceptable behaviour of those in power," claiming the union was "rotten at the root" and being damaged by its top figures.
These allegations represent a significant setback for the GMB, which has been striving to overhaul its culture since a damning independent report in 2020 by Karon Monaghan KC found it to be "institutionally sexist." A follow-up review by Monaghan in late August 2024 revealed that, five years on, only about 11 out of 27 original recommendations had been fully implemented, acknowledging that more work was urgently needed.
Union Response and Upcoming Leadership Battle
In a formal statement, the GMB defended its actions regarding the first staff member. It stated she was dismissed due to a "breakdown in trust and confidence," including matters from a "serious grievance relating to racism" upheld after complaints from numerous staff. The union emphasised that all complaints she made were fully investigated and none were upheld, reiterating its zero-tolerance policy towards discrimination.
Her Unite union representative robustly challenged this, stating she was "dismissed with no investigation and no hearing," and that the allegations are denied and now subject to an employment tribunal claim.
Regarding the second staff member, the GMB confirmed that whistleblowing complaints were thoroughly investigated over a three-month period but were not substantiated, with no evidence of wrongdoing found.
This turmoil unfolds as General Secretary Gary Smith faces a potential battle to retain his position in an election this May, with at least one challenger expected. The GMB, a major donor to the Labour Party with members including Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves, now confronts these internal disputes while attempting to demonstrate tangible progress on its promised cultural transformation.
