British Trade Unions Cost Jobs, But Not WEU

It needs to be noted that the Workers of England do not receive any money out of the public purse; we work solely from membership subscriptions, making us a truly independent union.

Whilst the article concentrates on Wales, the situation in England is just as bad, if not worse.

The public sector are having to make massive cuts, yet those same public sectors are paying £Millions towards British trade union representatives when they should be paid out of trade union membership subscriptions. These are the same representatives who are supposed to protect jobs but would be more inclined to protect their own cushy positions—you see the conflict.

Stop Funding Trade Union Representatives with taxpayers' money and direct the savings into frontline services.

Janet Finch-Saunders: Welsh taxpayers spend millions each year subsidising trade union activities

Janet Finch-Saunders is the Shadow Member for Local Government and the Assembly Member for Aberconwy on the Welsh Assembly.

Repealing Facilities Time Transparency

One element of the Trade Union Act 2016 that the Welsh Bill repeals is the requirement to publish information about Facilities Time. Openness and transparency have been hallmarks of Welsh Conservative policy-making in the Senedd, in Cardiff Bay. It is, therefore, disappointing that Welsh Labour and their allies are so determined to hide from the public the amount of time and money given by the public purse to trade union activity in this regard.

Freedom of Information Findings

Fortunately, this information is accessible through Freedom of Information requests, and the results of our enquiries show why Welsh Labour is less-than-eager to publicise the activities of their union paymasters.

Key findings include:

• Contacted 38 public bodies: Welsh Government, four police forces, seven local health boards, 22 local authorities.
• Two bodies failed to respond: Rhondda Cynon Taff Council and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.
• Around 80 full-time officers on “Union Facilities Time,” totalling 2,978 hours per week at a cost of £2.1 million a year.
• An additional 153 part-time officers supporting union duties, potentially costing another £1.03 million if each works one day a week on facilities time.

All of these staff are paid for by the Welsh taxpayer, diverting millions away from the frontline into subsidising the political work of unions. This is a national scandal. Funds should be spent on more nurses and teachers, not on union representatives.

Welsh Conservatives’ Position

The Welsh Conservatives have been clear: the taxpayer should not pick up the tab for trade union duties—that’s what union subscriptions are for. Despite passionate arguments during each debate stage, this call fell on deaf ears. Trade unions provided 91% of registered election donations for the Labour Party in May.

While Welsh Labour, Plaid Cymru, UKIP, and the Liberal Democrats continue to hide behind excuses, the Welsh Conservatives will persist in calling for openness and transparency—including the proactive publication of information of interest to the public.

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