A UNION-BASHING university chief resigned yesterday, citing a row with his superiors over his department’s future.

Swansea University school of management dean Nigel Piercy made headlines when he described trade unionists as “unpleasant and grubby little people.”

He said reps frequently exhibited “sad haircuts, chewed fingernails and failed careers.”

Allegations of staff being bullied and students excluded have been rife at the management school. Its recruitment of Mr Piercy’s wife and son raised further eyebrows.

In an email to staff yesterday, Mr Piercy said he had “reached the position where I have differences with the university regarding implementation of the school’s future strategy.”

He said it was “only right” for him to step down with immediate effect.

Plaid Cymru Welsh Assembly Member Bethan Jenkins, one of Mr Piercy’s fiercest critics, said Swansea University now had to answer “hard questions.”

She said bosses had “provided weak and unacceptable leadership to both its members of staff and to students at the school of management” during Mr Piercy’s two years at the helm.

“For months, it has sat on its hands and done nothing as relations between the Piercys and staff worsened, and it now needs to account for its decision-making — or lack of action,” she said.

“Nobody should be happy when jobs are lost, but the seemingly confrontational approach of Professor Piercy and his son … had created a ‘them and us’ situation among staff in which conciliation seemed impossible and someone had to go.”