'Like a scene from the Godfather'
Vendetta against council staff rocks idyllic Norfolk town
Reading time: 3 min
Unite, which represents the majority of the council’s employees including ground staff and secretaries, said that it will be holding a ballot for industrial action, including strike action, over ‘a systematic and sustained campaign of bullying and harassment’.
Unite regional officer Miles Hubbard has written to council chair Cllr Tony Crouch ‘in the strongest terms that the council acts immediately to address this situation’ which has been caused by three of the 15 town councillors.
Miles Hubbard wrote that Unite members “have described a systematic and sustained campaign of bullying and harassment of council staff, including persistent insulting and libellous postings on social media, belittling outbursts in public meetings and face to face verbal attacks (including foul language) on staff whilst carrying out their council duties.
“The council is obliged to fulfil a duty of care towards all of its employees, and it seems that it is failing in this regard.”
Unite’s intervention came after a town council meeting last night (February 17) called to discuss the issue descended into chaos with the police being called.
Commenting Miles Hubbard added, “What we have here is an unprovoked vendetta by a small minority of councillors directed at our hardworking members.
“This is a disgrace to the ethos of local government, reinforced by last night’s chaotic scenes at the town council by supporters of the offending councillors, which resulted in the police being called.
“If action is not immediately taken by the town council to stop these attacks on our members, Unite will have no hesitation in holding an industrial ballot by our members with the option for strike action.
“Behind its Miss Marple image, picture postcard Attleborough is more like a scene from The Godfather.”
