The article discusses the dual nature of unions, which exist to safeguard employee rights but have sometimes failed in their own practices. During a parliamentary debate, Labour MP Louise Haigh highlighted how unions, including the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA), misused non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to cover up incidents of abuse and discrimination instead of addressing them. Specific cases, such as that of a bullied ITN employee and a female employee demoted after an abusive relationship, underscore the need for change in accountability and treatment of workers, revealing a troubling contradiction in union behavior.
In last week's parliamentary debate on the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) by employers to cover up abuse and discrimination in the workplace, Labour MP Louise Haigh recounted noted unions' use of NDAs confidentiality to hush up appalling behaviour.
One example is the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA), which has used NDAs to try to prevent former female employees from publicly making allegations of sexual harassment against Manuel Cortes, the general secretary at the time.
A 2023 review by Helena Kennedy KC later found that there had been appalling incidents and leadership and management failings at the TSSA in relation to sexual harassment and that Cortes's behaviour around women was such an open secret that women joining the organisation were warned never to be alone with him.
Layla Moran, another MP pushing for change, has raised the case of a female ITN employee who was demoted after ending an abusive sexual relationship with an older male editor; after she complained, she was suspended without pay.
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