Teaching union NASUWT boss 'hostile and sexist' claim

A senior teaching union boss has been accused of fostering a "hostile, sexist and discriminatory environment".

The allegations against Jim Quigley, of the National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT), were made at a tribunal hearing in Exeter.

Charlotte Revely, 51, a former union employee, is making a whistleblower and sexual discrimination claim.

The NASUWT has strongly denied the claims.

Ms Revely, from Hinton St George, Somerset, worked for the union as a professional assistant in its South West regional centre in Exeter from January 2013 until she quit in August 2014.

She told an Exeter employment tribunal: "During my period of employment I witnessed colleagues being bullied and female colleagues treated less favourably than their male counterparts.

"I suffered direct discrimination and victimisation."

She said: "At the end of April I became ill because I could no longer cope with such a hostile and aggressive working environment.

"I felt that my work was being closely scrutinised and that Mr Quigley was waiting for me to make a mistake."

She said a regional official vacancy was advertised when she was ill, but feared she would not be treated fairly.

After she made a complaint against Mr Quigley she was left "shocked and dismayed" by a "brutal character assassination" from Mr Quigley, which stated she was "malicious, vexatious, dishonest and lazy".

It was "clearly a response to my whistleblowing", she said.

Ms Revely claimed other workers, male and female, were also being bullied.

The NASUWT "wilfully ignores their own policies and procedures" and "turns a blind eye to discrimination", she said.

"I am a passionate and lifelong trade unionist and I feel utterly betrayed by the conduct of my former employer."

The tribunal continues.