The GMB union is confronting serious new allegations of bullying behaviour, following a formal complaint from the female leader of a rival Labour-affiliated union. Maryam Eslamdoust, head of the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA), has accused senior GMB officials of attempting to force her from her post, an experience she says severely impacted her health.
Allegations of Hostile Tactics and Gender Bias
Maryam Eslamdoust, who is both the TSSA's first female general secretary and a former mayor of Camden council, stated the actions of GMB representatives caused her significant stress. She explicitly suggested that a male leader in her position would not have been subjected to the same treatment. Speaking to the Guardian, Eslamdoust claimed the GMB's hostile approach is part of an effort to facilitate a takeover of the smaller TSSA, which has roughly 18,000 members compared to the GMB's 550,000-strong base.
The dispute centres on the GMB's role in representing TSSA staff in internal industrial disputes. The GMB argues it is duty-bound to act, citing "horrifying" staff survey results that found 90% of TSSA employees described it as a "psychologically unsafe" workplace under Eslamdoust's leadership. However, Eslamdoust contends the GMB has "no moral authority" on workplace culture issues, pointing out it has not fully implemented recommendations from its own 2020 Monaghan report, which found the union to be "institutionally sexist".
A Confrontational Meeting and a Damning Email
Detailing a specific incident, Eslamdoust described a meeting in September 2024 where a senior GMB official allegedly shouted at her and her assistant, wagged his finger in their faces, and threatened to damage their reputations if they did not comply with his demands. She has since banned this official from TSSA premises.
After she made a formal complaint, Eslamdoust said GMB London regional secretary Warren Kenny sent an "appalling" email questioning her decision to raise the issue. The email, seen by the Guardian, suggested she should focus on resolving staff concerns rather than pursuing complaints about alleged conduct. Eslamdoust interpreted this as an attempt to dismiss and intimidate her.
Personal Cost and Leadership Questions
Eslamdoust revealed the personal toll of the conflict, stating she routinely works from 8 am until 11 pm or later to manage the union, protect its reputation, and defend herself from what she calls "constant interference and aggression by the GMB". She believes the behaviour of ground-level officials is tacitly condoned by senior leadership, including General Secretary Gary Smith, who is fighting for re-election this year.
"I don't see GMB behaving this way towards unions where the general secretary is a man," Eslamdoust said, noting there was no comparable hostility when the TSSA was led by a male general secretary. She also questioned why the GMB was accusing her of presiding over a toxic culture when she had been implementing a lawyer-led review of historical issues inherited from her predecessor, Manuel Cortes, who was dismissed for gross misconduct in 2023.
In response, a GMB spokesperson defended the union's actions, stating: "Workers at the TSSA have been mistreated for years." They emphasised the duty to protect members and noted that a GMB representative is currently suspended for trade union activities. The spokesperson also clarified that a potential merger with TSSA was halted after GMB members' due diligence revealed serious issues and they voted unanimously to stop the process.
