17th June 2003

Fat Cat Lyons

At the London Region amicus MSF meeting, in February 2003, National Executive member Colin Vane was asked about rumours that Spare General Secretary and professional Fat Cat hunter Roger Lyons had put in for a 30% pay rise:

"02/11 NEC Report Bro. Beaumont asked: 2) The General Secretary and Assistant General Secretaries had asked for a 30% pay rise. Bro. Vane responded that this was considered by the General Purposes and Finance committee (GPFC) and was rejected."

He also disclosed something extra: that the three assistant spare general secretaries Lucy Anderson, Bill Walsh and Paul Talbot had also put in for the rise. This was an inadvertent disclosure, presumably.

Vane did not deny the 30%, in fact he gave those present the clear impression that it was this large size of the increase that had caused it to be rejected. However at the next meeting someone had obviously had words with Right-winger, and he attempted to undo some of the damage:

"03/03 Minutes of February Regional Council Corrections: Page 13.NEC Report Bro. Vane insisted that he had said that a paper concerning officers' pay increases had been considered by the General Purposes and Finance Committee and that it had been rejected, but did not confirm the percentages contained in the paper."

At a subsequent meeting Vane said that the rise was not exactly 30% but when pressed admitted it was over 10%.

Colin Vane, who once voted to introduce compulsory redundancies for the union's own staff, is an established Right-winger and sits on the General Purposes and Finance Committee. He is expected to be a candidate in the forthcoming NEC elections. [amicus.cc] NEC confirms Lyons 30% pay rise application

Posted by www.rogerlyons.com on 17th June 2003