Sidelined union boss in power struggle

THE leadership of train drivers' union Aslef has been paralysed by a bitter row over alleged financial irregularities at the top of the organisation.

Damning allegations over financial mismanagement and misuse of union cash, revealed exclusively in Financial Mail last month, have led to a bitter stalemate between General Secretary Shaun Brady and the executive committee of the union. Brady commissioned the report when he was elected to the union's top post last year.

But the draft report, which branded the union's financial management as 'shambolic', was rejected by the eightstrong executive committee in a five-to-three vote.

It decided instead to call for a separate inquiry by QC Mathias Kelly into the management of the union over the past ten years.

The committee now sits in 'permanent session', giving it day-to-day control of the union and leaving Brady needing its approval for every action, however small.

An insider said: 'He can't even lick a stamp without their say-so. It just can't go on.' Brady told Financial Mail that the stalemate could be resolved only if the executive committee withdrew the resolution that saw it take day-today control.

'I want to get on with representing my members, who elected me,' he added.

The report that sparked the confrontation was produced by former Labour Party finance chief Paul Blagbrough-It was highly critical of the way the union's finances and multi- million pound investments were handled under the previous general secretary, Mick Rix.

Rix has firmly denied any wrongdoing.

The report also highlighted computer hacking at the union's head office which led to a number of financial files going missing.