Members of Britain’s largest civil service union, the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), have voted to create a political fund which will allow the union to campaign on political issues.
Under present regulation a trade union cannot campaign on issues perceived as political around election time unless it has a dedicated political fund to pay for such campaigns.
Eight out of 10 members who voted said they wanted the fund which PCS general secretary, Mark Serwotka, said would strengthen the union’s political voice.
“The establishment of a political fund gives us the opportunity to use every avenue possible, including during local and general election periods, to protect jobs and services as we strive to improve pay and conditions for hundreds of thousands of civil and public servants across the UK,” he said.
A spokesman told Personnel Today that the union would not give money to any particular party but would use the fund solely for campaigning.
