Trade Union Payments

Dear Requester

Request for information FOI12306

Thank you for your e-mail of 18th July 2012.

Ordnance Survey does hold some of the information you have requested and responds to each of your questions in turn.  Where the information is not held this is detailed.

1. The total amount of money paid to all trade unions for financial years a) 2010-11 and b) 2011-12.

No payments were made to trade unions in either 2010-11 or 2011-12.

2. Which trade unions your organisation provide staff time to work on trade union duties and / or activities (sometimes called Trade Union facility time in i) 2010-11 and ii) 2011-12.

We recognise two Trade Unions: Prospect and PCS.

We do not track the specific time, therefore this information is not held. Under Section 16 of the FOIA, our duty to provide advice and assistance, we advise that we do allow a maximum annual allowance for TUS duties.

The number of full time equivalent staff that were provided for each trade union in i) 2010-11 and ii) 2011-12.

We estimate the actual 2010-11 and 2011-12 FTE employee number aligned to TUS duties across both unions to be 7.8

3. Does your organisation automatically deduct trade union subscriptions from staff salaries in the payroll process in order to pass them on to the union? If so, how much did your organisation charge each union for this service in a) 2010-11 and b) 2011-12?

Employees can choose to pay their TUS membership fees through payroll as a net amount.  We do not charge trade unions for this facility, therefore this information is not held.

Public Interest Test
As the information you have requested has been provided or is not held, we have determined the public interest is not applicable in this instance.

Internal Review
Your enquiry has been processed according to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000. If you are unhappy with our response, you may request an internal review with our FOI Appeals Officer, by contacting them as follows:

FOI Appeals Officer
Customer Service Centre
Ordnance Survey
Adanac Drive
Southampton
SO16 0AS

E-mail: mailto:foi@ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Please include the reference number above. You may request an internal review where you believe Ordnance Survey has:

Failed to respond to your request within the time limits (normally 20 working days)
Failed to tell you whether or not we hold the information
Failed to provide the information you have requested
Failed to explain the reasons for refusing a request
Failed to correctly apply an exemption or exception

The FOI Appeals Officer will not have been involved in the original decision. They will conduct an internal review and will inform you of the outcome of the review normally within 20 working days, but exceptionally within 40 working days, in line with the Information Commissioner's guidance. 

The FOI Appeals Officer will either: uphold the original decision, provide additional explanation of the exemption/s applied or release further information, if it is considered appropriate to do so.

Appeal to Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
If following the outcome of the internal review you remain unhappy with our response, you may raise an appeal with the Information Commissioner's Office at:

The Case Reception Unit
Customer Service Team
The Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane 
Wilmslow
Cheshire 
SK9 5AF

E-mail: mail@ico.gsi.gov.uk 

Telephone helpline: 0303 123 1113 or 01625 545745 for advice, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.

Thank you for your enquiry.