Members and officials of the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers Union (ATGWU) will meet tonight to voice their support for two senior officers suspended as the result of an internal union inquiry.
District secretary Mr Mick O’Reilly and Northern Ireland organiser Mr Eugene McGloin were relieved of their duties following an internal administrative audit conducted by Ms Margaret Prosser, the union’s British-based deputy general secretary in June.
Many union members are upset at the "precautionary suspension pending a disciplinary hearing" imposed from the British headquarters. The union has declined to say when the officials will be called to the hearing.
Last month, the regional executive "unreservedly" condemned the suspensions and a number of branches have called for the charges against the two officials to be revealed. At least 100 activists are expected at this evening’s meeting.
The union also refuses to discuss the details of their inquiry but it is understood relations have been strained between Mr O’Reilly and the union’s British hierarchy over his decision to represent members of the ILDA - led by Mr Brendan Ogle – and his criticism of ICTU policy.
As a result of the suspension, Mr O’Reilly was unable to attend the ICTU’s recent biennial conference and lost his seat on the executive. The union was also threatened by a claim of around £500,000 by Iarnród Éireann if they continued with industrial action being taken by ILDA members, earlier this year.
Both officials remain on full pay and their duties have been assumed by other union officers. They will be subject to disciplinary action if they speak about the matter in public.