THE leader of the opposition at Newport City Council has criticised the authority for spending £57,000 a year on trade union time.

Conservative councillor David Fouweather said trade unions are “cash-rich organisations” and should be footing the bill the fee themselves.

Cabinet member Cllr Gail Giles has defended the spending, saying that the council supports the role of trade unions and the work the council undertakes in partnership with them.

Cllr Fouweather asked Cllr Giles if the council deducts a salary from trade union representatives when they are away from their normal place of work on trade union duties.

He also asked if Cllr Giles believed that the unions should be using that money to provide payment for those periods when staff are on union business and if the £57,000 was a “good use of taxpayers’ money” considering the recent council tax increase.

Cllr Giles said: “The council recognises and values the importance of positive working relations between trade unions and employees to deliver council services and facilitate good employee relations.

“In addition, we fully support the principle of collective bargaining. The council’s policy “Time off for Trade Union Duties and Activities” demonstrates the council’s commitment to work in partnership with recognised unions and their representatives.“The council must give accredited trade union representatives reasonable time, with pay, to perform duties and attend activities/events relating to the work of the council. Time off for duties not directly linked to the work of the council work are is unpaid.

She added that the council has provided financial support to assist with ongoing collective bargaining.“In addition, without trade union involvement, issues relating to council restructures, disciplinary/grievance investigations, management of attendance etc would simply not got resolved,” Cllr Giles added.

Cllr Fouweather responded: “Cllr Giles has not answered my question on trade union funding and therefore I can only assume that she is happy to continue to pay the trade unions £57,000 of council taxpayers’ money so that they can continue their activities.

“Councils may wish to give time to trade unions, but they do not have to pay them for the privilege.

"When you couple this with the money they pay to other organisations such as GAVO (Gwent Association of Voluntary Organisations) which has an income of more than £4m and SEWREC (South East Wales Racial Equality Council) £600,000, is it any wonder that the residents of Newport have been hit with a whopping five per cent council tax increase.”