Right-wing lobby targets the unions

The right-wing pressure group claimed public-sector unions were fighting "vital cuts" with taxpayers' money.

But the unions attacked the claim and said that union representation saved the public vast sums of money.

The pressure group was merely attempting to stir things up to suit its own agenda, unions said.

The alliance said its research revealed the "huge" amounts unions have received in direct grants and paid staff time from public-sector organisations, departments, quangos, councils, NHS trusts and fire authorities in the last two financial years.

It claimed that unions received £85.8 million from public-sector organisations in 2009-10, including £18.3m in direct payments from public-sector organisations and an estimated £67.5 m in paid staff time.

Under trade union law union officials are entitled to paid time away from their primary job in order to conduct union business.

Taxpayers Alliance spokeswoman Jennifer Dunn said: "Public-sector employees should be working for the public and not representing trade unions, whose agenda threatens to jeopardise public services.

"The unions should not be given special treatment and should pay for their own representatives and programmes."

But Unison leader Dave Prentis said it was the lobby group which was furthering its own interests at taxpayers' expense.

"The Taxpayers Alliance is digging up another tired old chestnut," he said.

"Taxpayers expect their money to be spent providing services, not answering spurious questions from the alliance to prop up their own political interests.

"Attacking trade unions who work with employers to create an efficient, more motivated workplace is just plain daft."

GMB national officer Brian Strutton said the report was "right-wing axe grinding."

He added: "It is an attack on workplace reps who provide a valuable service for workers and employers in workplaces across the land.

"Trade unions do not get taxpayer funding," Mr Strutton pointed out.

"Workplace reps are allowed paid time off by law for duties that benefit employers as well as workers in negotiations and consultations, in dealing with complaints and representing workers in disciplinary matters."

Local government employers also disputed the alliance's claims.

Local Government Group Workforce Board chairman Steve Bullock said: "The law requires all employers to give union representatives reasonable time off for their trade union duties.

"Councils are very large organisations which employ thousands of people delivering hundreds of vital services and it is good industrial relations to ensure staff have representatives who can work with management to make sure services run smoothly and any problems are sorted out quickly and efficiently."