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You can complain to the Certification Officer about a trade union if you鈥檙e a member.

You might also be able to complain if you鈥檙e not a member of a trade union, for example you鈥檙e a candidate in an election run by a union.

What you can complain about

You can complain if you think the trade union has:

• broken its own rules, for example about holding elections or ballots
• broken laws on running trade unions, for example not holding a proper ballot on a proposed merger of trade unions or not providing access to accounting records

You can also complain about trade union funds being used illegally or in a way that breaks the financial rules of the union, known as financial irregularities.

The make a complaint guidance has a full list of the complaints you can make to the Certification Officer

What you cannot complain about

You cannot complain about what a union does for you, for example representing you if you鈥檙e unfairly dismissed. You should get legal advice instead.

Complain to your trade union first

Talk to your trade union and try to resolve the problem with them before taking it to the Certification Officer.

You can take your complaint further if you鈥檝e been through all the steps in your trade union鈥檚 complaints procedure and you鈥檙e still not satisfied.

Complain to a court

You might be able to take your trade union to court, for example for breach of contract if it breaks its own rules. You should seek legal advice before you do this. You cannot complain to the Certification Officer and the courts about the same problem.

Complain to the Certification Officer

1. Make a complaint.

2. Attend a hearing.

3. Get a decision.

Email or call the Certification Officer to talk about your complaint before you make a complaint in writing.

The make a complaint guidance has information on how to make a complaint and when you can make it.

The financial irregularities guidance has information on how:

• to make a complaint about the illegal or improper use of funds in trade unions and employers鈥� associations
• the Certification Officer might appoint an inspector to investigate the complaint
• the Certification Officer makes a decision and how they鈥檒l tell you this

Use the complaint form

Download and fill in the registration of complaint form.

Email the registration of complaint form to the address on the form.

Make an anonymous complaint

You might be able to make your complaint anonymously if you feel your complaint would put you in danger.

Use the registration of complaint form to make your complaint and do both of the following:

• tell the Certification Officer that you want to make an anonymous complaint
• explain why you want your identity kept secret from your union

If the Certification Officer agrees, they will keep your identity secret from the trade union.

You can retract your complaint if the Certification Officer does not think your complaint can be made anonymously. You should tell them in writing that you want to retract your complaint.

You鈥檒l usually get the chance to attend a hearing with the Certification Officer to have your complaint heard.

You鈥檒l get a letter from the Certification Officer asking you to confirm what your complaint is about, for example what rule you think has been broken.

Your complaint will be sent to your union - they can disagree with any allegation you鈥檝e made.

Provide documents for your hearing

You and your union must send certain documents by a date specified by the Certification Officer.

These include:

• copies of all the documents that relate to your complaint
• written statements from anyone that鈥檚 going to give evidence at the hearing
• written draft arguments
• copies of any legal evidence that backs up the draft arguments

Get a date for the hearing

You鈥檒l get a letter from the Certification Officer that sets a date for the hearing when both of the following have happened:

• your union has replied to the Certification Officer about your complaint
• you and your union provide the Certification Officer with all the necessary documents

You or your union can ask for the hearing to be postponed if either of you can鈥檛 attend the hearing on the date given.

The hearing guidance tells you:

• how you or your union might be able to change the date of the hearing
• what happens at the hearing

Get a decision without a hearing

You can also get a decision from the Certification Officer on your case without having to attend a hearing, for example if both you and the union agree that either the union鈥檚 own rules or the law has been broken.

You鈥檒l still need to provide the Certification Officer with all the details about the case so they can decide what should happen next.

You won鈥檛 get a decision about your complaint at the hearing.

You鈥檒l be told at the end of the hearing when you might get your decision.

You鈥檒l get a decision in writing, with the reasons for it, from the Certification Officer.

Appeal against a decision

You can appeal to an employment appeal tribunal if you think the Certification Officer made a decision that was legally wrong.