Trade union membership increased slightly last year despite a drop in the overall number of recognised union bodies, official figures have revealed.
The annual report of The Certification Officer – who keeps records of union activity – showed the number of workers that were members of a trade union rose by 0.33% in 2007-08 to 7.62 million.
Over the period, 12 unions and two employers’ associations ceased to exist. Six unions ceased to exist by reason of having merged, while five were dissolved, and one – the National Union of Mineworkers (Durham Area) – ceased to be a trade union. The report also recorded 80 employers organisations.
The Certification Officer also has a role in investigating complaints from trade union members. In 2007-08, 32 complaints were determined. Of these, 29 alleged that a union had breached its own rules, while the other three related to breaches of statutory provisions.
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