A UNION official has stepped forward to fight the case of two whistleblowers suspended in an investigation at a homeless charity.

Jim D’Avila, regional co-ordinating officer for Unite, will represent Tony Niester and James Derieg in a disciplinary case being brought by Threshold Housing Link.

The pair, who comprise the street outreach team, were suspended after going public with a list of concerns about the charity.

They claimed there were problems with conflicts of interest, financial arrangements and disciplinary procedures.

These were strongly denied by the charity’s management, with chairman of trustees Trevor Davies hitting back by claiming a campaign was taking place to “vilify” chief executive officer Cher Sawyer-Smith.

The co-workers, who have been with Threshold for four-and-a-half years, were suspended after the Adver featured their concerns in a special report last Friday.

They had already lodged complaints through the charity’s whistleblowing process but felt they had not been listened to.

Mr D’Avila has represented Honda workers in negotiations with the management and was a Swindon councillor for 28 years.

He said yesterday that he was prepared to fight the workers’ case on several points.

He said: “There are still questions to be answered.

“I would really expect the local council to get involved as they are the main fundraisers for the charity.”

Mr Niester, 39, and Mr Derieg, 49, had tried to continue with their roles in an unofficial capacity at breakfast and soup run services for the homeless and needy.

But they have been told by Threshold they cannot continue with their duties while suspended on full pay – even if they are welcomed by other agencies.

Uncertainty now clouds the future of the outreach service, with a sign at the Breakfast Club, which is run in Broadgreen by The Filling Station charity, saying the roles had been suspended until further notice.

Threshold’s operations manager, Phil Smith, said: “We believe in union representation and have GMB as a recognised union.”

In an email to the Adver this week he said the workers were being investigated for bringing the charity into disrepute, not treating others with respect and making defamatory statements.