Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Local Government, Janet Finch-Saunders AM, today led Welsh Conservatives’ opposition to the Welsh Labour Government’s Trade Union (Wales) Bill.

Ambiguity over the competence of the Assembly in this area has led to concerns that the Bill will be referred to the Supreme Court. A similar situation with The Recovery of Medical Costs for Asbestos Diseases (Wales) Bill resulted in an £80,000 legal bill for the Welsh Labour Government.

The General Principles of the Bill were debated by Assembly Members, with the Welsh Conservatives firmly opposing the proposals which seek to disapply elements of the UK Conservative Government’s Trade Union Act 2016 to Welsh public services.

The Aberconwy AM slammed the Welsh Government for bringing forward such legislation, calling it “an unnecessary, burdensome and costly exercise”.

Janet said:

“This is the first piece of legislation introduced by the Welsh Labour Government this year, over and above other crucial policy areas.

“This Bill is an unnecessary, burdensome and costly exercise when one considers the many far more pressing issues facing the people of Wales today.

“Taxpayers in Wales will be dismayed to note the time and energy being put into such a Bill – resources I am certain they would rather see put into developing an Autism Bill for Wales, for example.”

The Taxpayers Alliance found in 2014 that unions were provided with the equivalent of over 273,000 square feet of office space by public sector organisation in the UK, for a charge of just over £307,000. The market value in Cardiff of such office space would be over £6.2m.

The UK Act requires relevant public sector employers to ensure greater transparency in relation to certain information relating to facility time – extending requirements which currently apply to the Civil Service and wider public sector.

Janet continued:

“I firmly believe it is right that the Government seeks to make Trade Union processes more open and transparent to ensure the sensible use of taxpayers' money and that levels of facility time remain appropriate.”

Prior to the UK Act, just 22% of public sector organisations in the UK charged unions for this service, despite a cost to the public purse.

In local government alone in Wales, over 30,000 employees pay subscriptions through payroll deductions [FOI responses – see Table in Notes] – and the cost to process these comes from the public purse.

The Member confirmed:

“I welcome the UK Governments actions to ensure that costs incurred by unions, are covered by unions.”

ENDS

Video:

Watched the AM's speech here.

Notes:

The UK Government’s Trade Union Act was passed last year.

The Act sets out:

• specific provisions on turnout, support and mandate required for strike action
• a transparent process for trade union subscriptions
• the requirement that payroll deductions for trade union subscriptions are only administered where the cost is not funded by the public

The Trade Union (Wales) Bill seeks to disapply sections of the Act here in Wales.