MP is stepping up attack on mining union

May 28 2008 by Adrian Pearson, The Journal

NORTH MP Kevan Jones has renewed his criticism of the former Durham NUM after it de-listed itself as a union and took with it assets worth more than £5m.

The National Union of Mineworkers branch has been repeatedly criticised for deducting a membership fee of 7.5% from thousands of payouts for compensation claims it has passed to solicitors.

Durham North MP Mr Jones has raised concerns in Parliament that the former union has changed its role and is now acting as a claims-handling association without fully consulting members.

He claimed in Parliament that the move means the former union does not have to file its accounts, and he also revealed that two former union leaders are each earning around £70,000 in wages and bonuses.

His scathing attack was levelled at president David Guy and secretary David Hopper, who he claims are not acting in the members’ best interest.

The MP quoted from the minutes of a union meeting last year in which they were advised by Thompsons Solicitors to finally change their status as a union.

The firm has previously been criticised for allowing a handling fee to be paid to the union out of compensation awarded, even though the fees were already met and the union has since agreed to repay these fees where requested.

The union, now known as the Durham Miners’ Association, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

The minutes quoted by Mr Jones revealed the decision to change the union’s status was made by just 10 members.

Mr Jones said: “If there is one core thing about a trade union, it is that it ought to represent the interests of its members.

“A small group of individuals, some of whom had a direct vested interest in keeping this going because they were getting a blooming good living out of it, were making decisions on the assets and moneys accrued over many years by hard-working former members of the union.”

The Journal has been unable to contact the leaders of the miners’ group for comment.