§ Mr. Soamesasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will seek powers to prevent ballot rigging in trade union elections.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyPart 1 of the Trade Union Act 1984, which comes into force on 1 October 1985, introduces for the first time extensive statutory safeguards for trade union elections. It would be premature to consider any further steps before these provisions have come into force.
The Act creates a presumption in favour of postal ballots. It lays down requirements concerning, among other things, secrecy, elgibility to stand and to vote, freedom from intimidation and electoral malpractice. It also lays down requirements concerning methods of election. For example, executive members must be directly elected and "block systems" of voting must not be used. Further, the Act gives ordinary union members a new statutory right to take any complaint to the independent certification officer or to the courts, who can order fresh elections or other corrective action as appropriate. It also requires unions to compile, by 1 October 1985, registers of their members' names and addresses and to keep these up-to-date.
§ Mr. Soamesasked the Secretary of State for Employment if, in the light of recent allegations of ballot rigging in trade union elections, he will seek a further meeting with the Trades Union Congress to discuss further the arrangements for trade union elections.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyMy right hon. Friend and I are always ready to meet representatives of the TUC to discuss with them how trade unions can best fulfil their statutory obligations in relation to the Trade Union Act 1984.