Pressure grows on major unions' finances

Union finances are coming under increasing pressure with expenditure growing faster than income, according to the latest figures from the government's certification officer.

In 2001-2002 annual expenditure for the 214 TUC and non-TUC unions covered by the statistics rose by 7.5% compared with a rise of income of 5.1%, providing a total surplus of £13.88m, equivalent to 1.7% of their income.

Four years earlier in 1997-98 the total surplus was three times as much at £42.0m, 5.8% of total income.

For the unions with more than 100,000 members the situation is even tighter, an overall surplus of £1.99m, just 0.3% of income. Six of these larger unions had a deficit, while nine had a surplus and one broke even.

These figures are mostly for the year to the end of 2001. With last year's slight increase in union membership (see above) the financial picture may have improved.

* Annual report of the certification officer 2002-2003 available at www.certoffice.org or tel: 020 7210 3734

Finances of unions with over 100,000 members 2001-2002

Union Surplus/ deficit £m As percentage of income

Unison (public services) 2.36 1.9%

Amicus AEEU (engineering) 2.36 5.3%

Amicus MSF (science/finance) 0.78 2.9%

T&G (general) 0.90 1.3%

GMB (general) -2.46 -5.2%

RCN (nurses) 0.00 0.0%

NUT (teachers) -0.46 -2.2%

USDAW (shopworkers) 0.42 1.8%

PCS (public services) -1.43 -5.0%

CWU (communications) -2.85 -10.0%

NASUWT (teachers) 1.73 9.6%

ATL (teachers) 0.08 0.7%

GPMU (print and media) -1.96 -8.3%

UNIFI (finance) -0.87 -7.8%

UCATT (construction) 0.57 10.9%

BMA (doctors) 1.87 2.6%

Prospect IPMS* (specialists) 0.75 11.1%

Prospect EMA* (eng. managers) 0.20 5.8

*% Figures for 10 months until the two unions merged on 1 November 2001