Political Fund Ballots And The Union Of Shop,distributive And Allied Workers (Usdaw)

EDM number 117 in 2004-05, proposed by John Mann on 23/11/2004.

That this House notes the recent ballot held by USDAW in which 81 per cent. voted to keep the political fund; further notes that under legislation introduced by the Conservative Government in 1984, trade unions wishing to contribute to political parties or engage in other political activities must establish a political fund; further notes that each union must ballot their members every 10 years on whether to retain this fund; recognises that all individual union members have the right to opt out of paying into a political fund should they so choose; is concerned that this means trade unions bear an excessive financial burden in order to fulfil their natural role of representing their members' interest; believes that in light of the USDAW members recent overwhelming vote in favour of retaining the union's political fund that the Government should abolish the legislation that puts such excessive burdens on trade unions.

This motion has been signed by a total of 52 MPs.