Bank of England governor to face potentially unfriendly audience at union conference

Bank of England head to address union conference

LONDON — Bank of England Governor Mervyn King is to face a potentially unfriendly audience as he addresses a conference of trade union leaders.

King is to speak to the annual gathering of the country’s main union federation, the Trades Union Congress, on Wednesday. King is also expected to answer questions on topics ranging from unpaid taxes to bank bonuses.

Bob Crow, the general secretary of the Rail Maritime and Transport union, intends to boycott the speech, saying King “is on the side of the bosses — he is not welcome here.”

Public and Commercial Services union general secretary Mark Serwotka says he “would not have invited him, but now that he is coming we intend to make sure he answers questions from representatives of ordinary working people.”