A trendy Scots pub firm has been accused of making up harassment allegations against a staff member after suspending a union leader for a month and a half.
Ross Campbell says he was frogmarched out of the Abandon Ship Bar in Glasgow's Mitchell Street in February by Macmerry 300 Ltd's John Lynch in front of shocked colleagues.
The 27-year-old, who serves as the Unite lead at the bar, was not given a reason for his suspension.
He later discovered company directors were briefing out claims he had been harassing staff and punters, claims he denies.
More than six weeks later Ross has been reinstated in his chic dive bar job after company bosses Phil Donaldson, AJ McMenemy and Richard Davies dropped the investigation due to a lack of supporting proof.
The climbdown comes after Macmerry director Donaldson told the Record that there had been "clear evidence" to support the suspension.
He informed a reporter in February: "Ross has been suspended on the grounds of gross misconduct. You can quote me on that."
Ross believes he has been the subject of a smear campaign because of his union activities - and is seeking a full apology from bosses.
The hospitality worker said: "From the moment of my suspension I knew that the company wanted me out.
"I was raising too many issues about unpaid holidays, pensions and tax on behalf of my colleagues.
"Their 'evidence' was full of holes, there were no signed statements from managers or members of staff.
"They just wanted to kill any chance of unionisation or anyone talking about it with staff."
He added: "For the first two and a half weeks after I was suspended, I wasn't eating or sleeping.
"I barely left my room, and was overthinking the entire situation. They had me doubting myself."
Ross joined the Abandon Ship bar - one of several Macmerry operations at the centre of a collective grievance over its treatment of staff - when it opened in September.
Co-workers who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect their jobs said they had found no evidence to support directors' claims - against Ross and believe he was targeted for speaking up.
One said: "Ross was rocking the boat - that's why they went for him. Ross was always really polite, he's a wee gentleman."
Another added: "The whole situation that's emerged honestly just smells like an attempt for the company directors to take attention off themselves, while dragging poor Ross through the mud."
Donaldson declined to comment when contacted by the Record on Wednesday, while McMenemy and Davies did not respond to requests for comment.
The controversial suspension and readmission of a union-affiliated worker is the latest chapter in a sorry saga of crises at Macmerry, which has just opened a new Abandon Ship venue in London.
The company has been accused of ignoring sexual harassment, breaching Covid and health and safety regulations, and not paying workers' tax and pension deductions to HMRC and Nest.
In January, following an investigation by the Daily Record, the company appointed independent HR firm Dorothy McKinney to investigate claims of bullying and sexual assault.
Trade union Unite has accused the company of union busting.
Bryan Simpson, hospitality organiser, said: "44 days ago, our leading member at Abandon Ship was taken into a meeting by John Lynch for less than a minute, suspended without reason and told to leave the premises.
"That night, Macmerry Director Phil Donaldson told the press and colleagues that Ross had been suspended for gross misconduct in a clear attempt to destroy the reputation of a leading Unite member.
"Despite the serious allegations made, the company was unable to produce a single shred of evidence to back-up their claims. The decision to take no further action confirms this.
"We are pleased that Mr Davies has made the right decision but questions need to be asked as to Mr Donaldson’s fitness to be an employer. He quite clearly despises trade unions and workers who stand-up to him."
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