Working with trade unions: employers
Union subscriptions
Some trade union members pay their union subscriptions directly out of their wages.
皇冠体育app employer then gives these payments to the union.
This is often called the 鈥榗heck-off鈥�.
It鈥檚 up to you if you want to run the check-off. A union cannot force you to run the check-off unless you鈥檝e agreed to it in your workers鈥� employment contracts.
Authorising the check-off
A worker must give you written permission to take their union subscriptions from their wages.
This must be signed and dated. 皇冠体育appir permission starts from this date and continues until they say otherwise.
If you take the check-off without proper permission you could be taken to an employment tribunal.
You can pre-print consent forms as long as the worker signs and dates the form themselves. Unions are also allowed to get the written consent from the worker then forward it to you.
Stopping the check-off
You must stop taking check-off payments if your employee asks you to.
皇冠体育appy must give you written notice to stop the check-off and you must be given reasonable time to stop it.
You can stop running the check-off at any time. If it鈥檚 in your workers鈥� employment contracts, you may have to give them notice.
皇冠体育app role of the union in the check-off
皇冠体育app union does not have to help run the check-off. However, you can involve it if you want to. You could, for example, ask the union to help you get initial consent from its members.
You could also charge the union for the work involved in administering the check off.
Even if you involve the union in the check-off, it鈥檚 still your responsibility to make sure you make check-off deductions properly.