interestrateripoff Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/poli...icle5533387.ece One of Britain’s most powerful union leaders has a secret house-for-life guarantee and enjoys pay and benefits worth nearly £200,000.Derek Simpson, joint general secretary of Unite, has a deal to remain in his £800,000 grace-and-favour house in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, until he dies, according to confidential documents obtained by The Times. His pay package also went up by 17 per cent. Under the terms of the agreement Mr Simpson’s partner can stay in the home at a heavily subsidised rate even after the death of the 64-year-old union leader. And although Mr Simpson, a close ally of Gordon Brown, has always claimed that he pays tax on the accommodation, for which he pays a nominal rent, the document shows that it is union members who cover the cost of the perk. The disclosure is the latest twist in a long-running controversy over the spending and en-titlements of Mr Simpson, who is currently fighting an election to stay in office beyond retirement age. Internal papers show that Mr Simpson, who has said “executive pay and bonuses would make Midas blush”, demanded that the union cover his tax bill for his home “to make it affordable”. The perk was worth almost £40,000 in 2007, boosting to £194,252 the total value of the general secretary’s remuneration. A spokesman for Unite said. “These arrangements were approved by the executive committee at the time and have been a matter of public record ever since. His remuneration is published every year and is properly approved every year.” Unite represents a large number of workers earning less than the national average wage. Many reacted angrily to the latest disclosure. Steve Kelly, a construction worker in Romford, said: “When we are all living in fear of losing our jobs and maybe homes it is an outrage that our general secretary lives in a mansion with no threat of losing it ever. No wonder he sucks up to Gordon Brown and big business.” Union leaders putting themselves first. It must be nice being in a position of knowing you'll never be evicted and that your housing is a perk. Can't wait to go and join a Union now!!!!! This country is full of parasites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Concrete Jungle Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 New Labour sycophant in champagne socialism shocker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AuntJess Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Maybe... eventually, the 'hard core' labour-ites will come to realise that their party was initiated not by a concern for the common-or-garden, working lad or lass, but by a desire to get in on the act of exploitation....Or maybe not. Snouts in the trough - not just a Tory enterprise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixy Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/poli...icle5533387.eceUnion leaders putting themselves first. It must be nice being in a position of knowing you'll never be evicted and that your housing is a perk. Can't wait to go and join a Union now!!!!! This country is full of parasites. I wonder when the stupid membership will wake up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tbatst2000 Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Er, he's a communist, what else would people expect him to do given the chance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zilly Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Maybe... eventually, the 'hard core' labour-ites will come to realise that their party was initiated not by a concern for the common-or-garden, working lad or lass, but by a desire to get in on the act of exploitation....Or maybe not. Utter drivel. Human nature being what it is there always be those who worm their way into positions of power and put themselves first, regardless of political persuasion. However your statement above is simply wrong. Why make it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legal_Landlord Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Union leaders have been doing this for years - living a life of luxury whilst the workers suffer. The UDM were leaders were at it in 2004 lining their own pockets. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-ne...-name_page.html Greedy b@stards :angry: :angry: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sign_of_the_times Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 what we need is a new wing of the IRA who just target those high up in the Labour party I'll start one and I'm not even Irish !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wol Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 "This time next year, Gordon, I'll be a millionaire." -- Del-boy Simpson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccc Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 This **** of a man is constantly on the TV moaning and whinging about how hard done by the 'workers' in this country are. Hope he gets run over by a Leyland truck. Being driven by Margaret Thatcher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrB Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Why do people pay Union fees, I can't understand it? At our place, the union didn't kick up a fuss when the salary bandings were frozen (i.e. real terms pay cut), when we are guaranteed RPI from the company's income. What is the point of unions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cogs Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Its an interesting enough story I suppose. Wouldn't be my first choice for a front page headline, it only matters to members of his union. I see Murdoch is concerned about trades unionism again, well he would be really at the moment and there has never been much love lost. That paper has become such a mouthpiece its barely worth reading these days which is a shame. See also; angry articles in The Torgraph after a load of them were axed. A classic of the genre was a "stop whinging if you still have a job" piece by an editor last week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonard Hatred Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Why do people pay Union fees, I can't understand it?At our place, the union didn't kick up a fuss when the salary bandings were frozen (i.e. real terms pay cut), when we are guaranteed RPI from the company's income. What is the point of unions? I thought this. I stopped paying years ago, simply because they're controlled by ineffectual, shiny-eyed New Labour drones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guillotine Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 He has become an aristocrat. I'm resigning from the union asap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AuntJess Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 (edited) Utter drivel.Human nature being what it is there always be those who worm their way into positions of power and put themselves first, regardless of political persuasion. However your statement above is simply wrong. Why make it? If your statement were true - which I don't deny - it doesn't exactly negate what I said. Why try to be offensive about what I said, when it is possible that an alternative view exists? Oops! Maybe you don't know how to consider alternatives. Anyone who disagrees with you is wrong therefore not worth being polite to. Edited January 17, 2009 by AuntJess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fudge Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 The union leaders allied themselves with New Labour thinking that they would get something out of it for their members. 10 years on and the members have got very little, in fact the government got more out of it than the union members. The government got a passive workforce that didn't kick up much of a fuss while their wages and conditions worsened while new labour followed neo liberal policies more suited to a Tory government. I understand that Simpson is actually changing the Unite union rules to enable him to stand in another election for union leader. Now the new labour project is over and working people realise they have been conned big time these pro new labour union leaders should be swinging from lamp posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Executive Sadman Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 I saw this in the times. great salaries, and theres pictures of their homes too. I thought all that great salary and all it will buy you is a crappy suburban barratt box. And sure enough both their homes look like pokey little boxes, the kind of thing i would expect to live in, not a £200k salary type. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fudge Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Union leaders have been doing this for years - living a life of luxury whilst the workers suffer.The UDM were leaders were at it in 2004 lining their own pockets. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-ne...-name_page.html Greedy b@stards :angry: :angry: The UDM are not a typical union. They were formed by the miners that refused to go on strike in the 1984/85 miners strike. Mostly from Nottingham because the Nottingham pits were considered viable and were not due to be closed down. The UDM played a key role in helping Thatchers strategy to weaken solidarity amongst miners and beat the strike. Of course Thatchers promise to keep the Nottingham pits open came to nothing and she closed them along with all the others. So much for the right to work. The fact that the UDM leaders are behind the swindling of old miners out of their compensation really shows them up for the scum that they were and still are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fudge Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Why do people pay Union fees, I can't understand it?At our place, the union didn't kick up a fuss when the salary bandings were frozen (i.e. real terms pay cut), when we are guaranteed RPI from the company's income. What is the point of unions? A union is its members. Not the leaders or the union as an organization. If you feel the union in your workplace is not doing what it should then join it and get active to turn it around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fudge Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Its an interesting enough story I suppose. Wouldn't be my first choice for a front page headline, it only matters to members of his union.I see Murdoch is concerned about trades unionism again, well he would be really at the moment and there has never been much love lost. That paper has become such a mouthpiece its barely worth reading these days which is a shame. See also; angry articles in The Torgraph after a load of them were axed. A classic of the genre was a "stop whinging if you still have a job" piece by an editor last week. Its because its all falling apart for Brown and New Labour and union leaders like Simpson and they are losing grip. People like Murdoch are afraid of the backlash from working people getting organised within unions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffk Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Why do people pay Union fees, I can't understand it?At our place, the union didn't kick up a fuss when the salary bandings were frozen (i.e. real terms pay cut), when we are guaranteed RPI from the company's income. What is the point of unions? The point of them is when they do a deal. people like you can enjoy their collective bargaining power and hang off the coat tails of union won deals. Always remember a union is only as strong as its members...so if you have no balls=you get what your given.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim123 Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 The union leaders allied themselves with New Labour thinking that they would get something out of it for their members.10 years on and the members have got very little, in fact the government got more out of it than the union members. The government got a passive workforce that didn't kick up much of a fuss while their wages and conditions worsened while new labour followed neo liberal policies more suited to a Tory government. They got the minimum wage. They are expecting to get a clamp-down on temps tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fudge Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 They got the minimum wage.They are expecting to get a clamp-down on temps tim The minimum wage is not enforced and plenty of agencies pay below minimum wage. There wont be any clamp down in fact casualisation will get worse in a recession. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markinspain Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Which one's Gordon? http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ksnwIUyspps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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