Message from Jeremy Dear – NUJ

Professor Mcintosh
Principal
Carnegie College
Halbeath
Dunfermline
Fife
KY118DY

3 September 2009

Dear Professor Mcintosh,

I am contacting you in your capacity as Principal of Carnegie College to protest the sacking of Penny Gower, a trade union safety representative summarily dismissed in May after undertaking a workplace health and safety inspection, a core, legally protected, safety representative function.

I was appalled to learn that you summarily dismissed Penny for carrying out her duties as an elected Health and Safety representative.

You will obviously be aware that discrimination on the grounds of trade union membership and activity is illegal. Penny’s case is rapidly becoming a cause celebre across the trade union movement. The damage to the reputation of  your institution could prove to be profound and lasting.

Your college website states that the values of your organisation include ‘integrity’ (defined as acting with honesty and fairness) and ‘trust and mutual respect’ (seen as treating others with dignity and sensitivity). It is hard to see how these values have been applied in your treatment of Penny Gower.

I add my personal support to Penny Gower’s campaign as well as the support of my trade union, the National Union of Journalists. This victimisation will no doubt be discussed at the TUC and in the UK Parliament and our representatives and supporters there will be lobbied to censure your actions and to support Penny Gower’s case.

I trust you, as Principal, will be taking a close personal interest in this extremely serious case and will quickly move to reinstate Penny Gower before more damage is done to the reputation of the college.

Yours sincerely,

Jeremy Dear
General Secretary