What is the Political Fund?

Unions are most effective when they represent the needs of their membership in every aspect of their lives, whether this is in the workplace, in the community, or in Parliament.

Having a political fund allows your union to pool the collective resources of the membership to achieve results impossible for individuals.

For example, the political fund allowed Community to campaign for 5 years when our members lost their pensions at Allied Steel & Wire and Totector Shoes. We were able to take the Government to the European Court of Justice on this matter, and the result was a £12 billion guarantee for the pensions of redundant workers.

The fund also helped the National League of the Blind and Disabled to campaign for working rights for disabled workers, and Community is active in many other areas.

Why have a political fund?

For a union to carry out certain political campaigns it is required by law to have a ‘fund for political purposes’. This covers campaigns supporting or opposing legislation and politicians of all parties, regardless of the Government of the day.

Community needs to be able to influence Westminster, the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly, local authorities and the European Parliament.

Community has a track record of using our political fund to gain access to Government which has saved jobs and strengthened local communities on many an occasion.

It is having a campaign fund which allows Community to campaign outside the workplace for social justice.

Whether this is for changes to legislation or Government policy, justice for workers cheated by their employers or for broad social changes, the benefits are for our members and their communities

A Great Deal!

Each week members contribute 20p of their membership fees to the political fund. A small price to pay to know that their issues are being considered by decision makers around the country.

Member Solidarity

By law Community is required to ballot all members every decade to renew the political fund.

Every time that Community has done this, the answer has been a resounding yes vote.

It is clear that Community members want the political fund, and that they want Community to have the resources to represent their interests in parliament.

Union campaigns are responsible for:

• 35 hour working week
• Pensions
• Health & Safety laws
• Unfair dismissal laws
• Minimum wage
• Recognition rights
• Representation rights