The UK's largest general union has dismissed its regional secretary for Scotland and five other employees.
Scotland regional secretary Mr Baird has been dismissed by the T&G
The Transport and General Workers Union (T&G) sacked Andy Baird, four regional industrial officers and another staff member under its disciplinary policy.
These decisions follow a year-long investigation into the conduct of the T&G's Scottish affairs.
The allegations involved irregularities in the 2003 branch nominations for the general secretary post in 2003.
Mr Baird and two of his colleagues had previously been suspended from the union at the beginning of this year after the initial rigging claims were launched.
The issue was first raised by one of the candidates, Jimmy Elsby, then an assistant general secretary of the union.
The union's then general secretary Bill Morris asked Professor Keith Ewing, an authority on employment law, to conduct an independent investigation.
The subsequent report was submitted to the union at the end of 2003 and indicated there was evidence of serious wrongdoing.
A formal T&G investigation was then launched under the union's own disciplinary procedures resulting in charges being laid against the workers last month.
The inquiries uncovered various issues unrelated to the original complaint, including the falsification of the result of a ballot held at Tunnocks biscuit factory in Uddingston, Lanarkshire, on an offer by the employer.
The union said in respect of the original complaint, there was no suggestion of any impropriety in the
conduct of the postal ballot nor could the breaches have affected the ultimate outcome of the election.
T&G general secretary Mr Woodley said: "The T&G is determined to ensure that in both its internal
procedures and in its conduct of industrial business it adheres to the highest standards of propriety and democratic integrity.
"As general secretary I will never condone any misconduct which impacts on our membership or could lead members to question the honesty and integrity of
"Such behaviour will be firmly dealt with by the leadership of the union."
Any appeals against the disciplinary decisions will be heard by the union's appeals committee before the end of the month.
Other union officials were also subject to lesser sanctions which are also open to appeal.