PSA registers as a third party

The Herald reports that the PSA has applied to register as a third party. Now they are not affiliated to a political party, so I can’t imagine there will be any issue about their eligibility.

What is interesting though, is why they are registering at all. The PSA goes to great lengths to claim political neutrality.

Ms Pilott said the union had understood that if it wanted to campaign on ideas, it had to register in order not to break the law.

“It is already the case in fact that public services and the extent to which they are going to be funded or the value of them is already an election issue so I think it vindicates our decision.” …

“But our understanding is that if we want to participate in the election campaign in pursuit of particular ideas out there, then we are required to register.”

So they wish to remain politically neutral, but they need to register in case their promotion of their ideas breach the Act. Annette King’s law of common sense doesn’t seem to be working that well.