Citation, interpretation and commencement

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Trade Union Elections and Ballots (Independent Scrutineer Qualifications) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2003 and shall come into operation on 3rd August 2003.

(2) In this Order, “the principal Order” means the Trade Union Elections and Ballots (Independent Scrutineer Qualifications) Order (Northern Ireland) 1992(4).

Amendments to the principal Order

2.  For Article 9 of the principal Order substitute –

“9.  The following persons are specified for the purposes of Article 15(2) of the 1995 Order –

(a)Electoral Reform (Ballot Services) Limited;

(b)Popularis Limited; and

(c)Involvement and Participation Association.”

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order.)

Article 15(2) of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (“the 1995 Order”) requires certain elections and ballots respectively held by trade unions to be supervised by a qualified independent person (known as a “scrutineer”) appointed by a trade union.

The ballots and elections in question are those relating to the election of members of the executive committee and certain officers, the maintenance of a political fund, mergers with another union and the taking of industrial action.

The Trade Union Elections and Ballots (Independent Scrutineer Qualifications) Order (Northern Ireland) 1992 specifies conditions which must be satisfied in order for an individual or partnership to qualify for appointment as a scrutineer. It also specifies certain persons by name as being qualified.

This Order amends the 1992 Order by replacing the list of persons specified by name as being qualified for appointment.