Repeal of Political Fund Review Ballot Legislation

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Conference
2005 National Delegate Conference
Date
28 February 2005
Decision
Carried as Amended

Conference welcomes the overwhelming vote of UNISON members by 85 per cent to retain UNISON Political Fund, and further notes that virtually every union which has been obliged to hold a review ballot in the last year has secured a decisive majority in favour of retention of a political fund.

For most unions this represents the third occasion on which they have been forced to carry out expensive and unnecessary ballots as a result of the Thatcher government’s vindictive legislation. Each round has demonstrated that union members want to keep these funds and have voted overwhelmingly in favour.

Furthermore, union members have a right to choose whether they contract in to the political fund or not.

Conference believes that the repeal of this legislation is overdue and should be carried out by the next Labour government at the earliest opportunity. Therefore Conference calls on the National Executive Council to liaise with other affected trade unions and make strong representations to government to ensure that appropriate measures are included in the next Queen’s speech and if necessary the tabling of an Early Day Motion to provide a focus for trade union lobbying on this issue. This should be the first of several measures enacted during the new parliament which will restore rights and freedoms to British trade unions in line with international standards.