Dear Derek, 

at our branch meeting in February we decided to submit to a complaint about our union's senior legal advisor, Georgina Hirsch. 

The complaint is firstly that Ms Hirsch arranged for the union to pay for an 'enquiry agent' to investigate the financial status of David Beaumont, a union member for 20 years and an active member of our branch. Secondly, by the timing of her action, it would appear that she did it without any prior consultation with the lay governing bodies of the union, namely the General Purposes and Finance Committee (GPFC) or the National Executive Committee (NEC).  Thirdly she has not reported her action to either of these lay bodies for approval after the fact (and nor in fact have you).  Lastly I understand that Ms Hirsch has recently refused to disclose the results of this investigation to Mr Beaumont, despite promising to do so, and I feel
that this should be added to the complaint.  

Frankly our branch is amazed that our union's money can be spent on private investigators to delve into the finances of its own members - we would be horrified if an employer acted in this way.

I understand that the procedure for complaints about officers is to write to their immediate superior, which of course in this case is you, along with copies of all material to be considered in the complaint investigation.
Therefore I attach a copy of Ms Hirsch's email initiating the enquiry agent's investigation (which appears to have been cc'd to you), along with copies of her email promising disclosure and later refusing it.

Please would you confirm that you will investigate this complaint and keep this branch informed of its progress. 

Please would you also confirm that you will bring this email to the attention of the next GPFC and NEC meetings.

Lastly our branch seem not to have the official complaint procedures, perhaps you would provide us with a copy by return.

Yours sincerely

Anjali Bedi
Secretary Hounslow and Feltham Branch