TRADE UNION BILL UPDATE AND ACTION NEEDED
Dear Colleagues
On 16 March the lobbying carried out by the trade union movement has secured the following changes to the Bill:
a review into electronic balloting
the recommendations of the select committee into political funding, including making opt-in mandatory only for new joiners.
This week the Government has conceded on check-off – allowing unions who use check-off to carry on with check-off where they pay the costs to the employer. Further safeguards on the appointment and activities of the Certification Officer have also been secured in that they will be free from ministerial direction and appointed by the OCPA and that the levy on unions will only pay for part of the costs of the CO, excluding the costs of external investigators. The Governments slower timetable and more safeguards in how any cap on facilities time in the public sector is imposed.
These latest concessions will be confirmed through Government amendments at the Third Reading next Monday 25 April. There will be a need to ensure that the government does what it has promised.
As the Lords stages draw to a close, the Bill returns to the Commons. It will be debated on Wednesday 27 April, when MPs will be asked to vote on reinstating some or all of the things the Lords removed or amended.
The TUC as requested every union to alert its members to the fact that this is now the time to increase the pressure on MPs. Every MP needs to be asked to uphold the Lords amendments, and then vote against the Bill in its entirety. In particular, it’s critical that contact is made with every Conservative MP.
Please contact your MP to urge them to vote to retain the Lords amendments and then vote against the Bill in its entirety. We need to know as a matter of urgency how MPs will be voting, particularly Conservative MPs
Even if they are opposed and cannot be moved on the issue that is helpful to know as the TUC will then direct efforts to those whose minds it may be possible to change.
Please use our advocacy on line through the website to lobby your MP www.nasuwt.org.uk/contactyourmp
