Trade unions and industrial action: UK employment law

Essential points

• Employee relations describe an organisation’s relationship, whether at a collective or individual level, with those who work for it.
• At a collective level, an organisation may inform and consult with its workforce through a forum made up of employee representatives, and/or with a trade union representing its employees through a collective bargaining arrangement.
• Collective bargaining may take place through a voluntary agreement or may be imposed on an employer if a trade union succeeds using a formal union recognition process.
• If bargaining arrangements break down, and a dispute arises, a trade union may take industrial action, including a strike.
• If a strike is ‘lawful’, those taking part are protected from unfair dismissal.

The Employment Rights Bill will make it easier for trade unions to achieve recognition in a number of ways, for example by removing the requirement at the application stage for a union to demonstrate that there is likely to be majority support for trade union recognition. The Bill will also introduce a new duty on employers to inform workers of their right to join a trade union. Keep up to date with the latest on these changes with our Tracker of potential law changes.

This page outlines the current legislation around working with trade unions that should still be followed until any changes come into force. We will update this page once any changes are enforced.