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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.


    • Civil Service
    • Industrial action / strikes
    • Latest News

    Civil service union misses strike vote threshold in most departments

    by Ashleigh Webber 15 May 2024
    by Ashleigh Webber 15 May 2024

    Civil servants vote in favour of strike, but the union fails to achieve turnout threshold in key departments.

    • Zero hours
    • Employment law
    • Latest News

    Why Labour’s New Deal intrigues business leaders more than it worries them

    by Amanda Glover 14 May 2024
    by Amanda Glover 14 May 2024

    Labour's New Deal for Working People challenges the idea that the UK should be a low cost, deregulated economy, given that productivity remains stubbornly below its European competitors.

    • Minimum service levels
    • Industrial action / strikes
    • Latest News

    Minimum service levels judicial review gets green light

    by Ashleigh Webber 13 May 2024
    by Ashleigh Webber 13 May 2024

    The PCS Union has been granted permission from the High Court to pursue a judicial review of minimum service levels law.

    • Collective redundancy
    • Manufacturing
    • Industrial action / strikes

    Community union votes for Tata Steel strike

    by Adam McCulloch 10 May 2024
    by Adam McCulloch 10 May 2024

    Community members vote for Tata steel strike over blast furnace closures and redundancy terms.

    • Sexual harassment
    • Bullying and harassment
    • Employment law

    Labour to target sexual harassment of interns and volunteers

    by Adam McCulloch 9 May 2024
    by Adam McCulloch 9 May 2024

    Labour says it will extend its sexual harassment proposals to cover interns and volunteers.

    • Collective redundancy
    • Employee relations
    • Industrial action / strikes

    Talks between unions and Tata break down over redundancy

    by Adam McCulloch 3 May 2024
    by Adam McCulloch 3 May 2024

    Unite, GMB and Community unions break off talks with Tata over the Port Talbot site with voluntary redundancy terms a key obstacle.

    • Civil Service
    • Latest News
    • Public sector

    Civil servants union seeks to halt Rwanda plan over legal concerns

    by Adam McCulloch 2 May 2024
    by Adam McCulloch 2 May 2024

    Civil servants union the FDA has submitted an application for a judicial review over concerns staff could be in breach of international law.

    • Bullying and harassment
    • NHS
    • Latest News

    Health unions publish guidance on recruiting overseas staff

    by Rob Moss 29 Apr 2024
    by Rob Moss 29 Apr 2024

    Overseas recruits to the NHS face bullying, harassment and discriminaion according to three health unions as they publish new guidance.

    • Zero hours
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Latest News

    TUC: zero hours contracts are example of ‘structural racism’

    by Adam McCulloch 27 Apr 2024
    by Adam McCulloch 27 Apr 2024

    Black and ethnic minority women are twice as likely to be on zero-hours contracts as white men, according to a new analysis.

    • Latest News
    • Employment tribunals
    • Trade unions

    GMB launches legal action against Amazon ‘anti-union’ tactics

    by Adam McCulloch 26 Apr 2024
    by Adam McCulloch 26 Apr 2024

    The GMB has lodged an employment tribunal claim over union membership on behalf of five workers at Amazon’s Coventry centre.

    • Health and safety
    • Latest News
    • Trade unions

    Union reps make building safety inspections of workplaces

    by Rob Moss 24 Apr 2024
    by Rob Moss 24 Apr 2024

    Hundreds of trade union reps are making building safety inspections this week looking for issues including RAAC, asbestos and fire hazards.

    • Industrial action / strikes
    • Latest News
    • Commuting

    Aslef train drivers to strike again in early May

    by Rob Moss 22 Apr 2024
    by Rob Moss 22 Apr 2024

    Train driver members of Aslef to strike and withdraw overtime at 16 train operating companies in May as two-year pay dispute continues.

    • Collective bargaining
    • Employee relations
    • Latest News

    Amazon: CAC rules union can hold collective bargaining vote

    by Ashleigh Webber 19 Apr 2024
    by Ashleigh Webber 19 Apr 2024

    The Central Arbitration Committee ruled that the GMB can proceed with a vote to gauge Amazon union recognition support in Coventry.

    • Employment law
    • Industrial action / strikes
    • Latest News

    Supreme Court: Trade union detriment ‘incompatible’ with human rights

    by Ashleigh Webber 17 Apr 2024
    by Ashleigh Webber 17 Apr 2024

    Legislation found to offer no protection from trade union detriment is incompatible with human rights law, the Supreme Court has ruled.

    • NHS
    • Latest News
    • Trade unions

    Overhaul nurses pay or face ‘irreversible’ workforce crisis, says RCN

    by Ashleigh Webber 9 Apr 2024
    by Ashleigh Webber 9 Apr 2024

    Nurses are calling for the government to overhaul NHS pay structures or face a “potentially irreversible” workforce crisis.

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