Siptu has decided to retain a political fund which was traditionally used to provide financial support for members standing in elections for the Labour Party.

A special conference on Thursday adopted new proposals which will increase the political fund contribution from 63 cent to €1.04 per year.

The fund will be available for members who are running for any party or as an independent on condition that they a signed a pledge to support the policy of the union, which has 200,000 members.

Labour voted at its last conference to cease affiliations with other organisations which meant an end to the traditional source of funding from Siptu.