Labour to legalise online voting for strikes

Labour will make it easier for unions to hold votes on strike action by legalising electronic ballots.

© OLI SCARFF
Labour has now said that it would introduce electronic voting if Sir Keir Starmer leads the next government – OLI SCARFF

With nurses and civil servants among those currently being balloted on walkouts, the party’s employment spokesman said there was “no good reason” why unions should have to do the process via the post.

The news comes as The Telegraph reveals that a vote on teacher strikes could be delayed until January over concerns that striking postal workers may prevent members from returning ballot papers.  

In June, the Telegraph revealed that the then Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng had privately decided to kill off plans to allow unions to hold electronic votes on strike action.

In response to a review of the issue by Sir Ken Knight, Mr Kwarteng is understood to have voiced concerns about electronic ballots being manipulated by “ill-intentioned” states such as Russia.

However, Labour has now said that it would introduce electronic voting if Sir Keir Starmer leads the next government, pointing out that Tory members were able to select the Prime Minister this year using ballots returned online as well as by post.

With public sector unions legally required to secure 40 per cent support among all workers eligible to vote – as well as a turnout threshold of 50 per cent – online voting is likely to make it considerably easier for them to go on strike

Justin Madders, shadow minister for employment rights and protections, said: “From managing finances to ordering the weekly shop, huge parts of many people’s lives are now conducted online.

“Five years after this Government’s commissioned review by Sir Ken Knight that proposed pilots of electronic balloting in trade unions, there is no sound justification for insisting union democracy should be stuck in the past.

“If online voting is deemed good enough for Conservative Party members to choose the next Prime Minister, there is no good reason why only paper postal ballots will do for trade union members to exercise their democratic rights. Labour will update trade union legislation so it is fit for a modern economy.”

Teachers ballot could be pushed back to January

In July, the joint general secretary of the National Education Union, Mary Bousted, said that the union would be “looking to ballot our members in the autumn term, in October” if teachers did not receive a better pay offer.

However, The Telegraph understands that any ballot could be pushed back to November or even January because of strike action by Royal Mail workers who are members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU).

The CWU has called strike action on various days starting on October 13, leading to concerns that it might interfere with teachers voting by post.

In a letter sent to the Education Secretary Kit Malthouse this week, the NEU said the Department for Education had until noon on October 14 to offer teachers an inflation-busting pay rise otherwise “this union will be in a trade dispute with you”. 

“In the event of you not giving the undertaking sought, this union will proceed to ballot for industrial action,” the letter added.

The Telegraph understands that the Government will try to win the PR war with teacher unions by warning that any walkout will amount to a “proto-lockdown” which will hit children whose education has already been scarred by Covid-19 disruption.

The DfE will seek to stick by its offer of a five per cent rise for experienced teachers by arguing that individuals will receive a boost to their post-tax income because of the changes in the mini-budget.

On Saturday rail passengers endured another day of travel chaos as strike action left just 20 per cent of regular services running across the country.

Mick Lynch, the head of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, vowed to continue the action “for as long as it takes”.

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