Ucatt to appeal void election

The executive council of union UCATT has confirmed it will appeal a watchdog ruling that its 2009 leadership election was void.

General secretary Alan Ritchie was forced to step down after an investigation by the Certification Office for Trade Unions (CO) found ballot papers were sent to only half UCATT’s claimed membership.

A UCATT spokesperson refused to deny reports that Alan Ritchie has been reemployed by the union as an administration officer in Glasgow on the same salary.

North-west regional secretary George Guy has been appointed acting general secretary in the interim.

The election was declared void after the CO found UCATT sent ballot papers to only 56,867 members – less than half of its claimed 130,000 membership.

But a UCATT spokesperson said the executive council was appealing as it felt it had correctly interpreted its rules in excluding members from voting who were behind in membership payments.

“The union has always taken the view that unless a member keeps up to date with contributions, he/she should not be permitted to vote in the union’s elections.”

Ritchie’s defeated rival in the 2009 contest Mick Dooley has said he will stand in the event that the election is re-run.

The CO ordered the election to be re-run so the result is declared no later than 29 July if there are two candidates, and 30 September if there are more.