Usdaw urges members to back political fund
The shopworkers’ union Usdaw is urging its members to vote for the retention of the political fund.
By law, trade unions are required to ballot their members every ten years on whether the political levy can be maintained.
Members of Usdaw will be receiving ballot papers this month, for a vote at the beginning of November. The ballot is run by an independent company – the Electoral Reform Services.
According to the Electoral Commission’s database, Usdaw gave the Labour Party £820,883 in 2003, but the fund is also used for lobbying campaigns, such as on the minimum wage.
Usdaw’s leadership is emphasising to members that the political levy only forms a small part of the overall subscription, and it allows the union to campaign and lobby effectively on the wider political stage.
General secretary John Hannett said he is confident but not complacent that the union’s members will back the fund saying: “The political fund has been a massive part of the union’s history and will play an even bigger part in its future,” he said.
“With a Yes vote we can continue to lobby government, regardless of which party is in power, we can run campaigns which make a real difference to our members’ and their families’ lives, and we can ensure we keep Usdaw at the forefront of the political agenda for many years to come.”
The last ballot was in 1994 when members voted strongly in favour of the fund.
