The Employment Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1999

Political ballot rules

15.  In Article 54 (remedy for failure to comply with political ballot rules) the second sentence of paragraph (1) (application to Certification Officer does not prevent application to High Court) shall be omitted.

16.—(1) Article 55 (application to Certification Officer for declaration of failure to comply with political ballot rules) shall be amended as follows.

(2) In paragraph (2)(b) (duty to give opportunity to be heard where Certification Officer considers it appropriate) omit “where he considers it appropriate,”.

(3) After paragraph (5) insert—

“(5A) Where the Certification Officer makes a declaration he shall also, unless he considers that to do so would be inappropriate, make an enforcement order, that is, an order imposing on the union one or more of the following requirements—

(a) to secure the holding of a ballot in accordance with the order;

(b) to take such other steps to remedy the declared failure as may be specified in the order;

(c) to abstain from such acts as may be so specified with a view to securing that a failure of the same or a similar kind does not occur in future.

• The Certification Officer shall in an order imposing any such requirement as is mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) or (b) specify the period within which the union must comply with the requirements of the order.

(5B) Where the Certification Officer makes an order requiring the union to hold a fresh ballot, he shall (unless he considers that it would be inappropriate to do so in the particular circumstances of the case) require the ballot to be conducted in accordance with the union’s political ballot rules and such other provisions as may be made by the order.

(5C) Where an enforcement order has been made, any person who is a member of the union and was a member at the time the order was made is entitled to enforce obedience to the order as if he had made the application on which the order was made.”.

(4) After paragraph (7) insert—

“(8) A declaration made by the Certification Officer under this Article may be relied on as if it were a declaration made by the High Court.

(9) An enforcement order made by the Certification Officer under this Article may be enforced in the same way as an order of the High Court.

(10) The following provisions have effect if a person applies under Article 56 in relation to a matter—

(a) that person may not apply under this Article in relation to that matter;

(b) on an application by a different person under this Article in relation to that matter, the Certification Officer shall have due regard to any declaration, order, observations or reasons made or given by the High Court regarding that matter and brought to the Certification Officer’s notice.”.

17.—(1) Article 56 (application to court for declaration of failure to comply with political ballot rules) shall be amended as follows.

(2) Omit paragraph (2) (position where application in respect of the same matter has been made to Certification Officer).

(3) After paragraph (7) insert—

“(8) The following provisions have effect if a person applies under Article 55 in relation to a matter—

(a) that person may not apply under this Article in relation to that matter;

(b) on an application by a different person under this Article in relation to that matter, the High Court shall have due regard to any declaration, order, observations or reasons made or given by the Certification Officer regarding that matter and brought to the court’s notice.”.