Submission statement made by Ashley Reed on 27 March 2026 - a damning statement on his employer and, just as much, the RMT who I condemn for their conspiracy to sack my good friend.

 

Introductions – Thank Tribunal: Judge Hay

Place on record my thanks for the following: Independent Commissioner’s office for their support through the Data Access Request phase of the case and the subsequent follow ups to obtain the statements that were utilised to dismiss me. The inspirational support from trade unionists who have also in different ways leant their experience and expertise supporting in personal and professional terms to prepare as much as possible for the Tribunal held this week. My apologies to the Tribunal for procedural failures on my part as a Litigant in Person and for my inexperience at different stages of the process this week that at times has been very personally challenging. Here goes. . .

It goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway, that nothing that I’ve heard throughout this process at the Tribunal Hearing makes me doubt that I was sacked due to my Trade Union Beliefs, Principles, and Philosophy. I condemn without reservation the three RMT Branch Officials at the Poole Bus Depot, Mark Gale, Jason Gosling and Donna Jones, and the Regional Organiser, for the Wessex Region, Geoff Kite. However, I would like to thank the ex General Secretary, Brother Lynch, for pointing out some basic direction. Nevertheless, I had hoped that a man of his reputation would have done more than that. I also believe that the man who has followed him has also looked in the opposite direction. Brother Dempsey has a reputation for blunt speaking and as an active trade union leader I ask him now to conduct an Inquiry into the present situation. I look forward to assisting him with this. To the three Branch Officials who had willingly provided information containing false and misleading allegations to have me sacked, then I am not surprised that the Depot’s management utilised their statements to engineer my dismissal by manipulating the Grievance process.

To do so however meant ignoring my loyal service as a bus driver in the industry for nine years. At the same time I must state that what Alanah Hughes, Andy Shaw, and Richard Tyldsley are responsible for with their collective determination to engineer a ridiculously disproportionate disciplinary process in order to force through an unjustifiable dismissal, is disgraceful, and they should also hang their heads in shame for conducting such a lengthy process that I thought at the age of 56 I’d never be able to work again.

To move on to those involved who have been supportive and behaved with integrity, I’d first like to especially thank Martin Conder, who during the investigation process was blocked by the company for what we now know, to be unfounded grounds, that prevented him from representing me. I would also like to express my thanks to Jo Pilley who was unfortunately not able to be present here this week due to an unexpected family bereavement. I believe I have brought in my written statement and through my oral presentation combined by my questioning the three managers who sacked me to show I was unfairly dismissed. I do not have the time now to go into this but the following should be noted: I have never seen the CCTV footage that was used to sack me and which caused Alanah Hughes some difficulties in this court room, recalling whether she had, or hadn’t seen it. Of course, we know the evidence supplied by Jason Gosling was such a tall tale that it was necessary for the management to discard it. If I had time I would point out many contradictions relating to “the evidence” that was used to dismiss me. I will now set to illustrate that there is no doubt whatsoever that I was sacked for my Trade Union Beliefs, Principles, and Philosophy. I have been fortunate to have had advice so generously provided from possibly the most experienced bus worker representative, who has now retired, that the UK has ever seen. I know for a fact that he would not have spent a considerable amount of time supporting me if he did not feel the great injustice that I have suffered.

I now move on to the information that I was provided yesterday and to sudden changes made to the original Case Order Management notes this week by Judge May, on the Eve of submission yesterday, that I should set out to positively show that I have an asserted belief in Trade Union Principles and Philosophy as a “protected belief” pursuant to section 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

I have before me the issues page. Is it genuinely held is the first question. I can point to my lifetime history from a long line of relatives recalling memories in Gateshead and the Durham coalfields. I can recall in many people’s houses pictures and photos that left a great impression on me. I recall with reverence which was given to the past and the way they were spoken about was God like. There are no greater people in this world, who have served so selflessly, often at a considerable cost to themselves, who have led workers to obtain better pay and conditions at work, and politically, through electoral reform. On the very week I was sacked, this is not simply an opinion, it was historically, the anniversary of the Tolpuddle Martyrs. I am sure nobody in this room is unaware of this history and they remain an inspiration.

3.1.3

Without combining the workers are nothing but slaves, almost the lowest form of life, so it does relate, knowing that only through organisation that communities hope to have a life of dignity, respect, and satisfaction. To give a practical example, of how Trade unionism is a protected belief, I wish to go back nearly two hundred years to the Chartist movement that built the basis to establish institutions like those today. The Chartist’s struggle brought about the extension of the electoral franchise, such that in general it is possible for people across the UK to play a part in the political arena. At the same time through the use of strike action workers were able to produce legislation which blocked the dominance of capital which at the time had children as young as five years of age working hundreds of yards underground bringing up coal and at the same time chartists were improving social and welfare facilities. So clearly the above, demonstrates a certain level of cogency, seriousness, cohesion and importance in trade unionism.

I do not believe that the three branch officials that got me sacked have any idea of what a trade union means towards the emancipation of working class people. And this is why we find the word threat and sinister utilised continuously against me and, ultimately, the workers we were trying to organise as insultingly disrespectful.

Despite Mr. Shaw’s contention that the Poole depot was a happy place in the lead up to the 2024 pay talks, hundreds of bus workers, which included some workers who had previously quit the RMT in their disgust at the 2019 pay agreement, were expressing their dissatisfaction on internal communication systems and were brave enough to go public by signing a petition that was presented to the regional organiser for the attention of the General Secretary. Of course, it was impossible to express their views to the Branch officers as they did not advertise their email addresses. In this respect they were acting on behalf of management.

Why were they dissatisfied? Mr Shaw revealed a lack of knowledge during the tribunal when he wrongly claimed that pay deals across the industry were conducted annually. This would give a false impression as it would suggest that a negotiated poor deal on one year could be righted 12 months later. Fact was that at Poole in 2019 a five year deal had been agreed at the end of which workers were poorer off and some were needing to apply to the state for welfare benefits to maintain their families. Hard working taxpayers as such are being asked to subsidise Go South Coast, a profit making enterprise. This is wrong on so many levels.

As such Go South Coast employees were anxious to know what approach was to be taken to the 2024 pay talks and feared that their representatives would agree another deal that would leave them worse off. My dismissal and the sidelining of Martin Conder was intended by the union reps to allow them to do just that. So, it proved. My sacking was necessary for the trade union officials as they feared that members’ dissatisfaction in 2024 would not this time lead to members quitting the union but actually getting more involved in the organisation by electing reps who would fight for their interests. That might well have been myself and Martin Conder and which, in the case of Martin is, I would argue what happened in a more recent election for the role of workplace rep and which is another bone of contention at the ‘happy’ Poole depot. I can, of course, present details on this matter to anyone interested.

The 3 stooge trade union officials should hang their heads in shame and would do everyone a favour by getting a taxi home. As the evidence illustrates, the management at the Poole depot have the RMT officials in their back pockets. I don’t blame management for this, in fact they have done well for the company, and the shareholders. But that should not take away the fact I was unfairly sacked for my trade union actions, beliefs and principles.