Colleagues of a “tireless” trade union rep suspended by a London housing company protested outside bosses’s offices yesterday to stop him being sacked.

Unite rep Bryan Kennedy was suspended in February after leading low-paid One Housing Group workers in a campaign to win their first pay rise in six years.

Company bosses claim that his suspension is based on “quite serious allegations of breaching company policy.”

But Unite believe bosses leaped on “false” claims against Mr Kennedy to end his success as a union convener.

The union pointed out bosses started disciplinary procedures on the eve of pay negotiations, calling it a “deeply cynical” move to “decapitate” its work.

Unite regional officer Nicky Marcus explained how Mr Kennedy led 19 days of strike action between June and September last year.

She said: “He single-handedly led that dispute, built the membership up and negotiated with management to mitigate pay cuts.

“They were put-off for two years.

“He wasn’t successful in stopping the pay cut but was hugely successful at mitigating the effects at great expense to the company.”

A One Housing spokeswoman insisted Mr Kennedy’s suspension “in no way connected to his union activities.”

Mr Kennedy’s co-workers have fought tooth and nail to stop him being sacked and yesterday’s protest was planned to coincide with his disciplinary hearing.

It went ahead despite the hearing being cancelled due to the effect of the allegations on Mr Kennedy’s health.

Ms Marcus said bullying allegations against Mr Marcus were made by two colleagues under pressure from management.

She told the Star: “One of them came to us and told us how over a number of weeks, (a manager) had lent on her relentlessly, phoning her six times a day.

“She was so stressed out by it and felt so bullied and harassed that next time she phoned her, she put it on loud speaker and I heard the conversation.

“I’m an absolute witness to the fact this happened.”

An indicative ballot of Unite members at One Housing showed 84 per cent support for a strike if Mr Kennedy is not reinstated.