ISU (trade union)

The ISU is a certified independent Trade Union ^[1] initially representing workers in the defunct UK Immigration Service and now representing staff engaged in the Borders, Customs and Immigration functions of the Home Office.^[2]

The union was founded in 1981 as the Immigration Service Union. It was a split from the Society of Civil and Public Servants (SCPS),^[3] founded in protest at the SCPS calling for the repeal of the Immigration Act 1971.^[4]

This ISU is active in public campaigning for their members; giving evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee^[5][6][7] The Windrush Enquiry^[8][9] and other parliamentary groups^[10]

The ISU is politically independent and not a member of the Trades Union Congress. Opposition to it comes in particular from the Public and Commercial Services Union, successor to the SCPS, which has described it as a "right wing 'yellow' union" - that is, a company union for the UK Immigration Service. However, the union has over 40 years of certified independence from the Certification Officer.^[11][12]

Membership of the union reached 4,263 in 2006,^[12] but, in common with all Civil Service Trade unions, membership fell after the ending of "check off" in 2015 ^[13] to 3,018 in 2015.^[14] Membership remains at over 3,000 in 2020.^[15]

The ISU does not take industrial action lightly and some have accused it of shyness in this respect, although its rules never prohibited it from taking strike action if deemed necessary and,^[16] Although viewing Industrial Action as a last resort it will take action where required. For example, in 2012 it followed the lead of mainstream public sector unions and took part in strike action against changes to civil service pensions. ^{[17][18] [19]},^[20]

General Secretaries[]

1981: P. J. Taylor

1997: Martin Slade

2003: Peter Stowe

2010: Paul Duckhouse

2013: Lucy Moreton

2019: Mark Gribbin

References[]