PCS Members Vote Yes to Retain Union Political Fund

Following a national postal ballot, PCS members have voted overwhelmingly to retain their union political fund. This legally mandated vote last took place in 2015 where members also voted to retain the fund.

Speaking following the publication of the ballot results, general secretary Fran Heathcote said: "It is clear that our members are behind us and our campaigning objectives, whether that is on jobs, pay, pensions, privatisation or our vital anti racist, anti-fascist work.

Today's ballot results are testament to our members who work alongside us to build our union, our strength and our campaigning voice. I look forward to strengthening this voice into 2026 and beyond and I hope our members feel emboldened by this resounding YES vote. We have retained the fund, now let’s continue our vital campaigns across the union, our groups and our workplaces, taking members voices to the corridors of power with a strong political mandate.'

A full breakdown of the ballot results will be presented to a meeting of our national executive committee later this month.  

This ballot is likely to be the last trade union political fund ballot under the previous anti trade union laws (TULCRA 1992) which stipulated that unions must ballot their members every decade in order to retain the ability to politically campaign. The current Labour government will abolish the 10-year requirement for unions to ballot their members on the maintenance of a political fund should the employment rights bill become law. Instead, union members will be reminded every 10 years that they can opt out of the political fund.