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Two Glasgow trade union bosses took part in a £6000 trip with their partners- using members' cash. The officers at Unison’s NHS Glasgow Clyde and CVS branch arranged the trip to Durham Miners' Gala in July, but it was not formally signed off and the branch's funds were used instead without approval. More than £7500 was spent to send 16 people to the annual labour festival in Durham, with two nights in a hotel and more than £100 each in personal expenses, the Sunday Mail reports. Senior Unison bosses including Scottish secretary Lillian Macer and Scotland organiser Wilma Brown and their spouses were among those who took part in the unofficial trip. The scandal has started an argument between members of the branch, which represents thousands of health workers in Greater Glasgow and is believed to be the largest trade union branch in Britain. Complaints to the union's London HQ which were seen by the Sunday Mail showed whistleblowers calling for disciplinary action for the 'scandalous misuse' of members' money. They said the getaway was arranged without the knowledge of the elected branch secretary and without discussing the matter in committee meetings, where spending is usually decided. They wrote: "Our branch is at least the biggest health branch of Unison in the whole of Britain and as far as I know the biggest Unison branch of any kind. “We have about 18,000 members, which we have fought hard to build. If members find out that over £6000 of their subs has been squandered on a freebie for 16 people, including two officials, they will not only be furious but we will face thousands leaving.” A Unison probe last month found the spending had been “unauthorised” and had created “disunity” in the branch , with a raft of recommendations to improve governance. However, the organisers are not being hit with disciplinary action. Unison’s report into the complaints said the trip’s net spend for the branch was reduced from around £7800 to about £6200 after money was recovered from the union’s wider Scotland region, with the report claiming that this had been “agreed in advance”. A source told the Sunday Mail this cash was only clawed back after a backlash from members and accused Unison of “trying to brush the complaints under the carpet”. Sign up to our daily Glasgow Live newsletter here to receive news and features direct to your inbox Join Glasgow Live's WhatsApp community hereand get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
