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Gerard Coyne sacked by trade union Unite

Unite’s West Midlands Regional Secretary stood against Len McCluskey to be leader.

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Gerard Coyne, who stood against Len McCluskey to be leader of Unite, has been sacked by the union.

Mr Coyne, Unite’s West Midlands Regional Secretary, was suspended just before the result of the election was announced in April.

He lost the election, but is challenging the result with the Certification Officer.

Mr Coyne said he was notified by email that he has been sacked from his position following a disciplinary hearing.

“I am deeply disappointed, but not surprised at my dismissal,” he said. “When you are in a kangaroo court, you are rarely surprised by the outcome.

“I have held the post for 16 years and no complaint was raised during the hearing about how I carried out that role.

Len McCluskey
Unite General Secretary Len McCluskey (Ben Stevens/PA)

“However, during the disciplinary process, I was informed that union rules require a regional secretary to be ‘the General Secretary’s representative in the region’.

“It was implied that, because of the way I criticised Len McCluskey during the campaign, I could not fulfil that role.”

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