Frequently Asked Questions

General

  1. Can I complain that my trade union has failed to represent my interests properly?

    The Certification Officer for Northern Ireland can only deal with complaints concerning alleged breaches of statute or of certain union rules. Unless you can identify a union rule, which has been breached and falls within one of the Certification Officer for Northern Ireland's jurisdiction he will not be able to help you. In general it is unlikely that allegations regarding failure to provide proper representation will be a matter for the Certification Officer for Northern Ireland. For more information see chapter 9 of the latest Annual Report which deals with complaints about breach of union rules.

  2. Can I inspect the rule book of a trade union or employers' association?

    The rule books of trade unions and employers' associations form part of that organisation's annual return to the Certification Officer for Northern Ireland and as such are available for inspection at the Office. The annual return, which contains the trade union's or employers' association's annual accounts, is also available for public inspection.

  3. Can the Certification Officer for Northern Ireland help me make a complaint against my union?

    No. When a complaint is accepted, the Certification Officer for Northern Ireland has to adjudicate upon it. It would be clearly inappropriate for the Certification Officer, or his office, to comment on the merits of a complaint or to give advice about it. The Certification Officer for Northern Ireland has to be completely impartial. For further information click on the Complaints section of this website.

  4. Can the Certification Officer for Northern Ireland investigate the affairs of a trade union?

    The Certification Officer for Northern Ireland has no general powers to investigate the affairs of a trade union. His powers are limited to adjudicating on specific complaints of alleged breaches of statute or of certain union rules that have been made by union members. For further information click on Annual Report and see the chapters dealing with these types of complaints. The Certification Officer for Northern Ireland has special powers to investigate the financial affairs of a trade union but only in restricted circumstances and if there is evidence to suggest financial irregularities. For further information click on Documents and see the booklet Financial Irregularities in Trade Unions and Employers' Associations.

  5. Does a trade union or employers' association have to be registered or listed with the Certification Officer for Northern Ireland?

    No. There is no requirement for trade unions or employers' associations to be listed. However, if an organisation satisfies the statutory definition of a trade union or employers' association, it is required to comply with various statutory provisions whether or not it is listed. These requirements are set out in the Industrial Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1992 as ammended. Any such organisations can voluntarily apply for entry on the list of trade unions and employers' associations maintained by the Certification Officer for Northern Ireland. Chapter 1 of the latest Annual Report deals with the listing of trade unions and employers' associations.

  6. How can I find out whether a body is a trade union or employers' association?

    You can check whether a body is a trade union or employers' association by checking the lists contained in the Annual Report (Appendices 1 - 4). The lists are also available for inspection, free of charge, at the Office.

  7. What are the advantages of a trade union or employers' association being listed?

    For trade unions, listing is an essential preliminary to any application for a certificate of independence under Article 6 of the 1992 Order. Listed trade unions and employers' associations enjoy certain procedural advantages in connection with the devolution of property following a change of trustees under Article 7 of the 1992 Order. There are other benefits of listing which are shared by trade unions and both incorporated and uincorporated employers' associations. Being on the list is one of the requirements for obtaining tax relief in respect of expenditure on provident benefits (section 467 of the Income and Corporations Taxes Act 1988). It is also evidence an organisation is a trade union or employers' association. Finally, the name of a trade union or employers' association is protected by the provision that no organisation shall be entered in the relevant list if its name so nearly resembles the name of an organisation already on that list as to be likely to deceive the public.

  8. What is a trade union or employers' association?

    The statutory definition of a trade union and an employers' association can be found in chapter 1 of the latest Annual Report.

  9. What other bodies are concerned with trade unions and employers' associations?

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