Union calls for scrapping of law on political funds

Communications union Connect is pushing for reform of the law on union political fund ballots despite achieving an overwhelming vote in favour of retaining its fund.

The 19,000-member union recently voted by 81% to 19% to keep its fund in a turnout of 38%. This will allow the union to continue campaigning in the political arena, though it is not affiliated to a political party.

While welcoming the result, the union's general secretary, Adrian Askew, said the ballots should be scrapped. He said they are "resource-hungry" and a "bureaucratic hangover from the Tories' attempt to strangle the unions with red tape".

An Early Day Motion has been placed in the House of Commons calling on the government to abolish the 10-yearly requirement. The motion "notes the time and expense involved in running such a ballot; believes that it is time to modernise the law in this area, accepting that unions have a natural role to play in influencing the law on behalf of their members particularly in areas such as employment law, employment relations and pensions legislation."

Askew said: "Connect members have demonstrated for the third time that they want a union that campaigns for them. It's now time to get on and do just that."

This month will see the distribution of ballot papers for the political fund ballot in the Amicus MSF section, the result of which will be out in May.