Trade Union Bill — Third Reading — 10 Nov 2015 at 18:55

The majority of MPs voted to introduce a minimum threshold of 50% turnout for all industrial action (strike) ballots and for other increased regulation of trade union activity.

MPs were considering the Trade Union Bill[1][2].

The Bill provides for:

  • a minimum threshold of a 50% turnout in all industrial action ballots.
  • a minimum threshold of support, of 40%, for industrial action in specified important public services.
  • the nature of the dispute to have to be described on an industrial action ballot paper.
  • a requirement for positive consent from a union member for their funds to be applied to a political fund.
  • an extension of the notice period an employer must be given in advance of industrial action from 7 to 14 days.
  • members’ agreement to a union’s proposed industrial action to expire four months after the date of the ballot.
  • trade unions to provide information about their political expenditure in their annual return.
  • ministers to require publication of information on time off taken by trade union representatives for trade union duties and activities in public sector bodies including the NHS, schools and the BBC.
  • powers enabling ministers to restrict trade union representatives' time off for trade union duties and activities .
  • greater powers for "Certification Officer"s to enforce regulations on industrial action, with protections for the confidentiality of the names and addresses of union members if they are handed to investigators who are not members of the Certification Officer's staff.
  • a requirement to identify a picket supervisor and for them to show their letter of authorisation to the police or anyone who asks to see it.

The motion supported by the majority of MPs in this vote was:

  • That the Bill be now read the Third time.

The support of the majority of MPs meant the Bill could continue on the path towards becoming law.

The Bill was intended to give effect to commitments in the Conservative Party’s manifesto for the 2015 General Election which promised to reform trade unions and to protect essential public services against strikes.[3].

Debate in Parliament | Source |

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Party Summary

Votes by party, red entries are votes against the majority for that party.

What is Tell? '+1 tell' means that in addition one member of that party was a teller for that division lobby.

What are Boths? An MP can vote both aye and no in the same division. The boths page explains this.

What is Turnout? This is measured against the total membership of the party at the time of the vote.

PartyMajority (Aye)Minority (No)BothTurnout
Con303 (+2 tell) 0092.4%
DUP0 0225.0%
Green0 10100.0%
Independent0 20100.0%
Lab0 206 (+2 tell)090.0%
LDem0 4050.0%
PC0 30100.0%
SDLP0 1033.3%
SNP0 52094.5%
Total:303 269290.2%

Rebel Voters - sorted by party

MPs for which their vote in this division differed from the majority vote of their party. You can see all votes in this division, or every eligible MP who could have voted in this division

Sort by: Name | Constituency | Party | Vote

NameConstituencyPartyVote
no rebellions

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