Derek Simpson, Amicus General Secretary, said workers who had lost their pensions should be compensated retrospectively.

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But Unite's joint general secretary Derek Simpson said he was "not at all optimistic".

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Derek Simpson, joint general secretary of Unite, told BBC Breakfast that besides this dispute there was a "wider problem" to address.

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"The announcement by Aviva to cut 1, 100 staff will cause alarm across the insurance industry, " said Derek Simpson, joint leader of the Unite union.

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In a statement, Unite's joint general secretaries Derek Simpson and Tony Woodley blamed BA for forcing cabin crew to again resort to industrial action.

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That is mainly why Sir Ken Jackson was beaten this year by the relatively unknown Derek Simpson for the leadership of Amicus, the engineering and electricians' union.

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Mr Livingstone's supporters had hoped the shock election of left-winger Derek Simpson as general secretary of the Amicus union, and strikes by council and rail workers, would work in the mayor's favour.

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Unions have condemned Peugeot's decision to shut up shop, with Amicus general secretary Derek Simpson insisting that lay-offs on this scale would be "inconceivable" in France where workers enjoy stronger labour laws.

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And he confirmed that he would be meeting with members of the union movement's new so-called awkward squad such as Amicus' Derek Simpson and the TGWU's Tony Woodley to see how they could "reclaim" the Labour Party.

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