Union boss defends stay in £399-a-night Waldorf suite

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009 ... otel-unite" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



Derek Simpson, joint general secretary of the country's biggest union, Unite, yesterday defended his stay in a £399-a-night suite at the Waldorf, one of London's most luxurious hotels, for a four-day union executive meeting.

Simpson is well known for attacking bankers for their "gold-plated pensions, golden handshakes and huge rewards for failure".

The union leader was accused by the Mail on Sunday of staying at the hotel when he was within a 35-minute commute of his £800,000 home in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, provided by Unite.

A spokesman for Simpson said: "He stayed at the Waldorf because he could not get a room at the nearby Radisson hotel and anyway it was not the most expensive suite in the hotel. Normally when he stays in hotels he does have a suite because he needs a room to work in.

"This particular occasion was a union executive and there were various late-night meetings which meant he could hardly be expected to go home late every night and turn up early the next morning. Obviously if it was a one-day meeting he would have gone home."

The room where Simpson stayed is described in the hotel brochure as a King Hilton suite with a king-size bed and a bath with "body massage jets".

Simpson has accused bank directors of creating "total insecurity" for lower paid staff by their reckless lending decisions. He also played a leading role in trying to settle the recent British jobs for British workers walkout at the Lindsey oil refinery in Lincolnshire.

Simpson is fighting a three-way election battle to remain joint general secretary of Unite for a further year. He is being challenged from the left by Jerry Hicks, and from the centre by Kevin Coyne - both of whom claim he does not represent rank and file concerns in the two million strong union. His has lost backing from some Unite-supporting Labour MPs who have switched to Coyne.

The Unite political campaigning unit has also been racked by disputes with three senior members of staff, who are involved in grievance procedures with their new political boss, Charlie Whelan, Gordon Brown's former spin doctor. These are expected to be resolved this week.

[DGP1]

Gravy boat

Best not mention gravy otherwise Billy might come looking

[norbert]

Gravy boat

Best not mention gravy otherwise Billy might come looking

there's quite a nasty leadership battle going on with UNITE - best one was Woodley when he was accused of bullying and harassment by his own staff in Liverpool - Keep the red flag flying & solidarity , eh boys ? : - it's hardly a surprise though ?

Best one was the ASLEF " Bonding Bar - BQ " , the alcohol fueled fight between the GS & the Union President and subsequent court case was all over the papers and it resulted in a breakaway union being formed

Be fair boys - the CWU haven't topped that yet but Billy is trying his best

[POSTMAN]

Not one mention of whether Del had the salad or not

[dvbuk55]

Because they head a union these people believe they are better than the people they represent - £399 is probably more than the average wage within his union for his members - and that does highlight how far removed from the rank and file these people are.

[IWW Fellow Worker]

Because they head a union these people believe they are better than the people they represent - £399 is probably more than the average wage within his union for his members - and that does highlight how far removed from the rank and file these people are.

Let's not forget that some of his rank and file are the organised army of strike breakers we know better as the CMA.