GG settles ex-secretary's claim

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George Galloway settles secretary’s claim over email sacking
09 September 2009
East London Advertiser

GEORGE Galloway has made a settlement with his former Parliamentary secretary who claimed he pressured her to return to work while she was sick and summarily sacked her by email.

The controversial East London Respect MP was sued by Yasmin Ataullah for unfair dismissal after she had previously said she felt "blessed" to work for such "a special man." But she alleged that the Bethnal Green & Bow MP threatened he would ask her to resign for poor performance, make her redundant or sack her for gross misconduct if she did not work full-time rather than part-time while she was recovering from a back injury.

After firing her from her £27,500-a-year post in August last year, Mr Galloway, 54, allegedly ignored protests from her and her union representative and insisted on hearing her appeal himself, before rejecting it. He denied unfairly dismissing her and insisted she was rightly fired after warnings about her attitude and attendance. Her case against him was due to be heard at Central London Employment Tribunal, but both sides settled on the eve of the hearing after an ACAS arbitration.

Miss Ataullah accompanied Mr Galloway on speaking tours worldwide. She said of her job in a TV interview a year ago while the pair were in New Zealand: "I have always been interested in politics and kept an eye on current affairs. I very much fell into the position that I'm in and it is a real blessing to be able to work for such a special man, who fights for justice and truth so passionately."

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Sounds like GG's tea was oot on this one...