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Trade unions

A trade union is an association of workers in a particular industry or sector, designed to protect the rights, interests and working conditions of employees. Large trade unions in the UK include the TUC, Unite, Unison, the GMB and Usdaw.

Trade unions can receive recognition, or employers can derecognise trade unions. Employment laws protecting employees taking industrial action, such as taking part in strikes or picketing, are contained in the Employment Rights Act 1996 and Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.


    • Local authorities
    • Disability discrimination
    • Latest News

    Union rep teacher awarded £370k for unfair dismissal

    by Rob Moss 15 May 2025
    by Rob Moss 15 May 2025

    Teacher and union rep awarded £370,000 after head teacher unfairly dismissed her in ‘revenge’ for her opposing lesson observations plan.

    • Artificial intelligence
    • Uber
    • Zero hours

    How can businesses build protections for gig workers?

    by Jo Faragher 7 May 2025
    by Jo Faragher 7 May 2025

    Gig or platform workers can be an overlooked group when it comes to employment protections and safety.
    Clarity on their...

    • Stress
    • Mental health conditions
    • Latest News

    Two-thirds of school leaders suffering mental ill health

    by Nic Paton 6 May 2025
    by Nic Paton 6 May 2025

    Nearly two-thirds (65%) of school leaders and head teachers say their mental health has been harmed in the previous 12...

    • NHS
    • Latest News
    • Industrial action / strikes

    Resident doctors to ballot for strike action

    by Rob Moss 2 May 2025
    by Rob Moss 2 May 2025

    Resident doctors in England have announced dates for a ballot for renewed strikes and industrial action over pay.

    • Employee relations
    • Latest News
    • Industrial action / strikes

    Ofgem workers ballot for strike action

    by Adam McCulloch 2 May 2025
    by Adam McCulloch 2 May 2025

    Hundreds of workers at the energy regulator Ofgem are being balloted over strike action in a dispute over pay and jobs.

    • Latest News
    • Industrial action / strikes
    • Education - further and higher

    University of East Anglia set for nine days of strikes

    by Adam McCulloch 2 May 2025
    by Adam McCulloch 2 May 2025

    University of East Anglia staff began nine days of strike action yesterday (1 May) over a threat of compulsory redundancies and lack of financial transparency.

    • Latest News
    • Industrial action / strikes
    • Trade unions

    Unite announces further Gatwick airport strikes

    by Adam McCulloch 2 May 2025
    by Adam McCulloch 2 May 2025

    Unite union members at Red Handling and Redline Oil are set to strike in May and June, with some overlap in the industrial action.

    • Fire and rehire
    • Zero hours
    • Collective bargaining

    Employment Rights Bill must be tightened to protect workers

    by Adam McCulloch 1 May 2025
    by Adam McCulloch 1 May 2025

    The IER argued that the proposals concerning fire and rehire would still allow employers to dismiss and re-engage staff under vaguely defined ‘likely financial difficulties’.

    • Acas
    • Dispute resolution
    • Local authorities

    Acas hosts talks to end Birmingham bin strike

    by Adam McCulloch 1 May 2025
    by Adam McCulloch 1 May 2025

    The talks represent Acas’s first major involvement in attempts to end the full strike since it started, on 11 March.

    • Dispute resolution
    • Latest News
    • Industrial action / strikes

    Birmingham bin strike to continue as ‘totally inadequate’ offer rejected

    by Nic Paton 15 Apr 2025
    by Nic Paton 15 Apr 2025

    Birmingham’s month-long bin strike is set to continue after bin workers yesterday voted “overwhelmingly” to reject an offer by the...

    • Manufacturing
    • Economics, government & business
    • Public sector

    British Steel: MPs recalled to enable nationalisation

    by Adam McCulloch 11 Apr 2025
    by Adam McCulloch 11 Apr 2025

    Parliament is to be recalled to debate an emergency law to save British Steel’s plant in Scunthorpe from imminent closure.

    • Latest News
    • Industrial action / strikes
    • Settlement agreements

    London Tube drivers vote for TfL’s four-day week plan

    by Adam McCulloch 11 Apr 2025
    by Adam McCulloch 11 Apr 2025

    London Underground drivers have voted in favour of the 34-hour, four-day working week.

    • Employment law
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Latest News

    Union branch wants rights for polyamorous people

    by Rob Moss 9 Apr 2025
    by Rob Moss 9 Apr 2025

    Union branch submits motion to the Scottish Trades Union Congress for polyamory and polyamorous relationships to be protected rights.

    • Latest News
    • Economics, government & business
    • Industrial action / strikes

    Unite’s Sharon Graham toughens stance on Birmingham bin strike

    by Adam McCulloch 4 Apr 2025
    by Adam McCulloch 4 Apr 2025

    Sharon Graham writes to Angela Rayner: ‘The current escalation increasingly looks like a declaration of war on these workers’

    • Dispute resolution
    • Latest News
    • Industrial action / strikes

    Government ministers weigh in on Birmingham bin strike

    by Adam McCulloch 3 Apr 2025
    by Adam McCulloch 3 Apr 2025

    Local government minister Jim McMahon has met council chiefs in Birmingham today in a bid to bring an end to...

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