Business, Innovation and Skills written question – answered am ar 17 Gorffennaf 2013.
Bob Neill
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (Substitute Member), Vice-Chair, Conservative Party
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many complaints the Certification Officer has received in relation to the Unite trade union in each of the last five years; and what the outcome was in each case.
Jo Swinson
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Women and Equalities, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills
The number of complaints the Certification Office (CO) has received, and the outcome of the CO's investigation in each case, in relation to the Unite trade union in each of the last five years is as follows:
| As at 31 March: | Complaint | Substance of complaint | Outcome | Total |
| 2009 | Simms v. Unite | Breach of rule by unreasonably excluding her from standing in its National Executive Committee election. | Dismissed | 4 |
| Hicks v. Unite | Breach of section 46(1) of TULRCA, relating to the holding of office of the Joint General Secretary of Unite, | Withdrawn and Dismissed | ||
| Finlay v. Unite | Breach of rules in relation to the management of his branch of the union. | Dismissed | ||
| McGinnes v. Unite | Breach of rule in relation to the union's disciplinary procedures. | Struck out | ||
| 2010 | Harrison v. Unite | Breach of TULRCA and rules in relation to the elections of the First Executive Council of Unite | Dismissed | 3 |
| Fleming-Clooney v. Unite | Breach of rule in relation to the union's First Executive Council amending the union's rules outside its powers to do so. | Dismissed | ||
| Lyons v. Unite | Breach of section 52(2) and 48(6) of TULRCA and breach of rule in relation to the election of the Joint General Secretary of Unite. | No breach of statute but breach of union rule. Declaration issued/no enforcement order. | ||
| 2011 | Parkhill v. Unite | Breach of rule. Union had allegedly made payment to its political fund a condition of membership. | Dismissed | 3 |
| Owen v. Unite | Breaches of rule in relation to alleged disciplinary proceedings against him by the union. | Dismissed | ||
| Kruger v. Unite | Breach of rule in relation to the election of an Operating Convenor to the London Advisory Committee. | Dismissed | ||
| 2012 | Hutchinson v. Unite | Complaint relating to political fund contribution. Struck out on the grounds that the complaint had no reasonable prospect of success or is otherwise misconceived. | Struck out | 2 |
| Beaumont and Smith v. Unite | Breach of section 47(1) of TULRCA and of its rules in excluding them from eligibility to stand in 2011 National Executive Committee elections | Dismissed | ||
| 2013 | Vowles v. Unite | Breach of rules in relation to disciplinary procedures | Dismissed | 1 |
Information on the above complaints is publically available on the Certification Officer's website at:
Yes1 person thinks so
No1 person thinks not
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