Unions vote to keep their political funds

Members of eight unions voted to retain their political funds last month, taking the total number of "yes" votes in the latest round to 16.

The eight - ASLEF, TSSA, FBU, USDAW, GMB, CATU, CWU and BECTU - all achieved overwhelming yes votes, averaging 77%.

The Thatcher government forced unions with political funds to re-ballot their members every 10 years to check they want to retain them. This is the third round and no union has ever lost a review ballot.

Most of the campaigns are assisted by a Trade Union Co-ordinating Committee, whose spokesperson Jenny Smith said: "The time has come for the government to repeal the legal requirement to hold review ballots. This is an unnecessary, bureaucratic, and cumbersome piece of legislation."

This month sees the review ballot for the RMT transport union - the first it has held since being expelled from the Labour Party.

Ballot result

Yes (%) Turnout (%)

ASLEF 80 49

BECTU 75 29

CATU 67 19

CWU 73 33

FBU 74 42

GMB 88 19

TSSA 78 26

USDAW 81 tbc