Re-elected Prentis welcomes political fund ''yes'' vote

Public services union UNISON announced two ballot results last month.

In the first, Dave Prentis was re-elected general secretary with a 76% majority. Turnout in the ballot was relatively low, however, at 16.6%.

Prentis said his victory was "a vote of confidence" in his "mainstream common agenda", and pledged to "continue to stand up for UNISON members, especially where that means tackling government and those who wield power."

Five days later the union revealed that members had also voted overwhelmingly to retain their political fund - the largest union fund in the country.

This was one of the last of this round of votes under the legislation requiring unions to re-ballot on their funds every 10 years. UNISON's 85% vote to keep the fund is higher than the running average of 75% from earlier ballots. Turnout was 19.6%.

Prentis said: "This result is a clear indication that our members want their union to speak up for them in the political arena as well as in the workplace. They understand that increasingly we need to make the case to politicians as well as employers."

UNISON general secretary vote

Dave Prentis 75.6%

Roger Bannister 16.9%

Jon Rogers 7.5%

Turnout 16.6%