Steve Hawkes
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Union leaders at the GMB will call for better pay and a recruitment drive at AA, the vehicle breakdown organisation, tomorrow when they finally meet Damon Buffini, the Permira managing partner, for peace talks.
The Times has seen a list of demands drawn up by the GMB for the meeting proposed by Mr Buffini at the height of the union’s anti-private equity campaign last month.
As well as a higher basic salary, it will urge Mr Buffini to reverse a job-cutting culture and hire additional AA patrol staff at the business bought by Permira in 2004.
It also wants Permira to call an end to an alleged “culture of bullying, harassment and distrust by managers” at AA.
Paul Kenny, GMB general secretary, said: “We are looking forward to meeting Mr Buffini. We have waited a long time for this but we will want a frank discussion with him on economic and management matters.
“We also look forward to hearing an explanation from him as to how exactly keeping the gravy train going for the elite in private equity is of benefit to the nation.”
The GMB has taken the whole private equity industry to task ever since it emerged that a CVC-led consortium could buy Sainsbury’s.
The union said that until last month Mr Buffini had never wanted to meet the union.
Its members have been restricted to mounting high-profile stunts, such as using a camel in a demonstration outside Mr Buffini’s church last summer.
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Would this be the same Mr Paul Kenny who the Certification officer has found to have been voted as General Seratary illegally?
Concerned of London, London,
As a member of the AA I've recently requested information concerning its record since the private equity takeover in 2004. They have replied without the requested information.
The AA website proudly lists the organisation's successes prior to that date e.g. by quoting from the JD Power annual survey of breakdown recovery agencies records.
If I learn that the AA's record is being maintained I will stick with them in May when my renewal is due. If not I will seek better value for money elsewhere. I am unwilling to allow any of my subscription to be diverted to the pockets of the venture capitalists who now own it without evidence of quality provision and improvement.
Their current expensive advertising campaign 'You've got a friend' is particularly irrelevant in my decision making.
Malcolm Williamson, WGC,