Top Bunk: Union trolls, rather like Tony Woodley:
The biggest winner is Tony Woodley, joint general secretary of Unite, Britain’s biggest trade union with 2m members. His pay and benefits package increased by 20% from £88,359 to £105,761 last year, according to official accounts.
The revelation comes as Unite members who work as cabin crew at British Airways (BA) are threatening industrial action over proposed job cuts and a pay freeze.
Woodley’s salary rose by 10% to £93,815 between 2007 and 2008, compared with a public sector average of 2.8%.
He also received a £6,603 benefit from a cut-price union loan towards a maisonette he and Unite are buying in south London and £5,343 in car fuel benefit.
Documents filed with the trade union certification office, a regulatory body, reveal that Derek Simpson, 64, Unite’s other joint general secretary, received a salary of £97,027, up 4% on the previous year, housing benefit of £38,340 and £24,480 toward his chauffeur-driven car.
BASSA members: your subscription is clearly being put to good use
