We are angered and disgusted at the victimisation of two trade union representatives by their employers. Louise Lewis in Huddersfield and John Boken in Shrewsbury have been bullied by their employers simply for carrying out their role as union reps for the National Education Union (NEU).

Louise Lewis faced months of harassment after seeking to ensure vulnerable staff had appropriate risk assessments during the coronavirus pandemic. After notifying the HSE, she was then suspended and escorted from the premises on the day of the inspection. She is the only Black permanent member of teaching staff at her school - and was suspended on the first day of Black History Month.

John Boken was served with a notification of an investigation into gross misconduct while in talks with management regarding an ongoing NEU dispute about bullying. This came after he had raised concerns about bullying and racism in school.

The labour movement, in all sectors and in the leaderships of all trade unions, must recognise that bullying of reps is unacceptable and requires action. We support the ongoing industrial action in support of Louise and John, and believe that any instance of trade union victimisation should be met with a strong response including industrial action.

We demand that Louise Lewis is reinstated immediately, that all disciplinary measures against her and John Boken are dropped, and that an independent enquiry is held into both cases and any other instances of trade union victimisation.

Signed by (all personal capacity unless otherwise stated):

Lisa Addinall, North Yorkshire NEU
Syeda Alam, South East NEU
Robin Ashman
Jenny Bailey, Newham NEU
Tom Barker, Leicester UNISON
Cindy Beggs
Ollie Bell, Trans & Intersex Pride Dublin
Stephanie Bernard, Lambeth NEU
Jack Blacklaws
Adam Burke, Worcestershire NEU
Carel Buxton, NEU and West Ham Labour Party
Matthew Campbell
Rose Campbell, Cumbria NEU
Anna Case, NEU
Steve Cavell, NEU rep
Mary Cawley, Harrow NEU
Kate Chadwick, Newham NEU
Gerard Choo, UCU Leeds Beckett University branch, school rep
James Clement, Coventry PCS
Eric Cota, Islington NEU
Danni Crowter, Coventry NEU
Timothy Crowther, Tameside NEU post 16-officer, H&S Rep Ashton Sixth Form College
Laura Daniel
Michelle Deacon-Adams, NEU
Debbie, Coventry NEU
Alastair Devey, Sefton NEU
Carla Diego, Lambeth NEU
Earl Dippenaar, Workers and Socialist Party, South Africa
Martin Dixon, Bodmin College NEU Rep
Charlotte Dolbear, Cornwall NEU
Laila Dowse, Buckinghamshire NEU
Jasmin Duke, Lambeth NEU
Clive Dunkley, Unite NEU Staff
Ramona Elvin, Newham NEU
Bev Eustace, Isle of Wight NEU President
Bronwen Evans, NEU
Kathryn Evans, Southwark NEU
Rachel Evans, NASUWT, Birmingham Yardley CLP LGBT Officer
Gianni Frary, Staffordshire NEU
Helen Furlong
Kodwo Fynn, Lambeth NEU
Danuta Giziewicz, Redbridge
John Grimshaw, NEU
Steve Godbold, Shrewsbury NEU
Mike Govender, NEU
Anthony Hagger, Southcoats Labour branch chair
Zuzana Hanson
Anna Harrison, North Yorkshire NEU
Dominic Haugh, TUI Shannon
Steve Haynes, Cornwall NEU
Stuart Herring, Havering NEU
Anna Hubbard, Sefton UNISON
Orlando Hill, Camden NEU
Laura Hughes, Barking and Dagenham NEU
Carole Hynes, Manchester Unite NHSBT
Fiona Ishmael, NEU
Sophie James
James Kerr, Lewisham NEU
Adele Kirk, NEU rep
Robert Krause, Workers and Socialist Party, South Africa
Jenny Lawy, Harrow NEU
Janet Lee, Buckinghamshire NEU
Clare Lennon, South Gloucestershire NEU
Monika Luftner, Lambeth NEU
Florence MacDonald, Cornwall NEU rep
Samuel Mack-Poole, Bexley NEU
Eugenio Marcigliano, Etudiant de Gauche Actif, Brussels
Glyn Matthews, CWU
Catherine McDonald, Lambeth NEU
Philip McGinity, NEU
Karen McKenzie, North West NEU
Carla Moorcroft, Cornwall NEU
Sharon Morgan, Newham NEU Equalities Officer and Black Educators East London
Duncan Morrison, Lewisham NEU Branch Secretary
Ndumiso Ncube, General Industries Workers Union of South Africa and Workers and Socialist Party South Africa
Betsy Nelson, Lambeth NEU
Liat Norris, PCS MOJ Staffordshire Secretary
Uzo Nwanaga, Hackney NEU
Tom Oberst, Croydon NEU
Florence Okoye, Prospect
Neelam Pankhania-Jadav, Coventry NEU
Karen Parny, Kirklees NEU
Ferron Pedro, Workers and Socialist Party, South Africa
Emma Penter, Cornwall NEU
Natalie Petzal, NEU
Ruth Poerscout-Edgerton, Isle of Wight NEU
Clement Rakgoropo, General Industries Workers Union of South Africa, Workers and Socialist Party, South Africa
Sara Ranthe, Newham NEU
Melanie Riley, North Derbyshire NEU
Connor Rosoman, Mid-Sussex USDAW
Maria Sanchez, Brent Village School
Carmia Schoeman, Workers and Socialist Party, South Africa
Trevor Shaku, South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU)
Rachel Shaw, Trafford NEU
Claire Simmonds, South West NEU
Bettina Storey, Coventry NEU
Bob Sulatycki, Hammersmith and Fulham NEU
Emma Thornton, Northern NEU
Jason Toynbee, Open University UCU
Max Toynbee, Lambeth NEU
Charlotte Valles, Cornwall NEU
Jane Walton
Megan Waugh, Leeds UCU
Sue Wedlock, Shropshire NEU
Angela Williams, Ealing Unite
Ian Williams, NEU
Glen Wood, Leicester NEU
Sarah Wrack