Certification Officer reports increase in union membership

Trade union membership has increased by 28,463 in the year to 31 March 2009, according to the annual report of the Certification Officer. This is an increase of 0.37% over the previous year's membership, bringing the total number of trade union members recorded in the annual returns received in 2008-2009 to 7,656,156. 

However, the total numbers of trade unions and employers' associations have decreased to 184 and 133 respectively at the end of this reporting year. There are six fewer trade unions and 16 fewer employers’ associations compared with last year, in the main as a result of mergers, although some have dissolved. 

In the past year, 29 complaints were decided by the Certification Officer. Of these, 23 complaints alleged that a union had breached its own rules and the other six related to breaches of statutory provisions. The two decisions that generated the most interest on the Certification Officer website concerned members’ exclusion from a statutory election and a union’s disciplinary rules. 

The Certification Officer's responsibilities include maintaining a list of trade unions, determining the independence of trade unions, investigating the financial affairs of trade unions and dealing with complaints by members. 

Also

Our four-part series on trade union recognition examines the extent of trade union membership, recognition agreements, facilities for trade unions and working with trade unions.