TUC weighs up URTU position
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• The Trades Union Congress appears to be dragging its feet over a decision whether to expel the United Road Transport Union for refusing to obey TUC rules regarding the membership of Ford workers.
The TUC says it is still weighing up the situation. Brian Ward From the disputes" committee says the situation is "unusual and complex"—the last time something similar occurred was in 1988.
The long-running dispute over membership of Ford workers, who switched from the Transport & General Workers Union to URTU at the beginning of the year, reached crisis point in August. The TUC ordered URTU to pay £36,000 to the T&G unless the workers returned to the larger union. But URTU rejected the ruling, branding it "perverse and unlawful". Ward says: "The last time something like this occurred was in 1988 with the electricians union. They were expelled for refusing to accept an award—but subsequently rejoined." The situation was discussed at a TUC general council meeting last week and a letter will be sent to URTU general secretary David Higginbottom, says Ward. Higginbottom says the union's position is unchanged.