Submitted by SWFBU on
The FBU has slamed an "undemocratic" bill which the Union says is a "chilling attack on freedom of speech". With strike action over pensions looming, the FBU has written to all MP's in the South West demanding their support against a bill which the Union says will "shackle Trade Union rights to defend Members". The bill is being debated in Parliament next week. Read our letter (below) and, if you share our concerns, please write to your MP and demand that this bill is withdrawn!
TO ALL SOUTH WEST MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT
29 August 201
Dear MP
Re THE TRANSPARENCY OF LOBBYING, NON-PARTY CAMPAIGNING AND TRADE UNION ADMINISTRATION BILL
I am writing to you in my position as the senior official for the South West Fire Brigades Union in regard to the above bill.
It is my firm view that the main purpose of this bill is to further shackle trade unions. The bill presents a severe threat to our democratic rights and would also have stark consequences to progressive lobby groups, such as 38 Degrees.
This Bill was not included in the Queen’s Speech. It was announced as a response to media ‘cash for questions/influence’ stings on a number of MP’s and Peers, but does not address this issue effectively nor will it stop corporate lobbying. It is purely about curtailing the ability of trade unions to undertake political activity/lobbying.
The three parts of the Bill are as follows:
- Part One - The introduction of a limited register for lobbyists. This does little or nothing to extend transparency of lobbying as it will only require information from professional lobbying companies that they already voluntarily publish. It has virtually no support, as almost everybody involved – including the bodies that represent lobbyists – do not accept it goes far enough.
- Part Two – This is the part that aims to affect trade unions in particular. It proposes much tougher regulation of third-party campaigners in the year before elections. The Electoral Commission, which regulates election spending, did not call for this measure, nor were they consulted. The measure is clearly designed to restrict trade union intervention in elections, but is so restrictive that it will hinder many other groups – including charities who raise awareness of issues on which there is political debate, unions without political funds who do not campaign directly to influence election results and campaigns with cross-party support aimed to reduce support for extremist groups. Because it both broadens the category of activity that counts as election campaigning and extends the type of spending that counts against the limit it is likely to severely limit what the TUC can do. It appears that the Trades Union Congress is likely to count against and breach the limit of £320k – not just for the TUC but any union that attends.
- Part Three - A new requirement on trade unions to appoint an independent assurer to validate their membership lists and new powers for the Certification Officer to investigate union membership. This increases red tape for trade unions. It is unclear what problem it is meant to address, but imposes additional requirements on all unions and significant extra bureaucracy on all unions with more than 10,000 members. In order to fulfil this duty, unions will need more information from employers. The Government suggests this duty is needed because some unions affiliate to the Labour Party. But most do not - if the motivation comes from concerns about political party arrangements why should non-affiliated unions have to fulfil the obligation and why are political parties themselves exempt from such regulation? If the intent is to introduce further regulation of industrial action, it is unclear how the bill would affect this and if that is the government’s intention then they should spell it out.
The proposed legislation has stark consequences for all trade unions, it also affects nearly all charities, NGO’s, other campaigning organisations and even bloggers in terms of the restrictive and stifling requirements that will be necessary in the year leading up to a general election. It is a chilling attack on free speech.
On behalf of the Fire Brigades Union in the South West I am asking for your support in opposing this bill and would request that you contact Chloe Smith MP - the Minister who has responsibility for political and constitutional reform in support of the Deputy Prime Minister - in order to have this bill withdrawn.
Yours sincerely,
T MCFARLANE
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBER
FBU SOUTH WEST
