In John Humphreys interview with Bob Crow on the injunction against strike action on Network Rail, the presenter suggested that the decision of the judges “raises suspicions that the ballot was rigged”. If Humphreys or the Today programme’s staff had carried out some rudimentary research they would have known that the ballot was carried out by the ERS not by the RMT. Even Network Rail has not accused the RMT of ballot rigging.
The RMT is calling upon trades unionists to register a complaint with the BBC, demanding an apology for Humphrey’s baseless allegation, and for Bob Crow to be given another opportunity to explain the case of the RMT without such blatant interference.
Complaints should be sent to the BBC at todaycomplaints@bbc.co.uk
If you didn’t hear the interview you can listen to it at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00rl6t7/Today_02_04_2010/
The interview can be found at 2hrs 10 minutes into the 3 hour programme.
I have sent the following message…
Dear John Humphreys.
I am writing to protest at the suggestion you made in your interview with Bob Crow that suspicions had been raised that the recent RMT strike ballot might have been rigged.
This suggestion is factually incorrect. Not even Network Rail has made any such accusation. The ballot was conducted by the Electoral Reform Society. The ballot papers never even passed through the hands of the RMT. There were a few minor anomalies in the addresses to which ballot papers were sent, due to outdated records which are inevitable in any voting procedure (including general elections), but there is no evidence that these were fraudulently used. Apart from being untrue, your question was very defamatory to Bob Crow and to the RMT trade union.
There are serious issues at stake in this dispute, regarding jobs and public safety, and it is unworthy of you (and, I may say, uncharacteristic) to divert attention from these with this scurrilous innuendo.
In all fairness you should withdraw this allegation on air, and give Bob Crow another chance to clarify the issues.
Yours sincerely,
Roger Silverman
Newham NUT.