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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.


    • Coronavirus
    • Testing
    • Employee relations

    HR Director of the Year: Ruth Busby on GWR’s pandemic response

    by Jo Faragher 31 May 2022
    by Jo Faragher 31 May 2022

    With less than two weeks left to submit entries for the Personnel Today Awards 2022, we profile one of last...

    • Collective redundancy
    • Employment law
    • Latest News

    P&O Ferries boss denies reputational damage after mass redundancies

    by Adam McCulloch 27 May 2022
    by Adam McCulloch 27 May 2022

    The boss of P&O Ferries has denied that his company has taken a reputational hit in the wake of its sudden sacking of 800 crew in mid-March.

    • Employee relations
    • Latest News
    • Industrial action / strikes

    Biggest national rail strike threatens summer

    by Jo Faragher 25 May 2022
    by Jo Faragher 25 May 2022

    Railway workers from 15 train operating companies have voted in favour of a national rail strike during the summer.
    Members...

    • Civil Service
    • Latest News
    • Industrial action / strikes

    Civil servants move closer to national strike action

    by Jo Faragher 25 May 2022
    by Jo Faragher 25 May 2022

    Members of the largest civil service union, PCS, have voted in favour of backing national strike action.
    The union polled...

    • Employee relations
    • Latest News
    • Industrial action / strikes

    Tube strike on 6 June to see 4,000 staff walk out

    by Ashleigh Webber 24 May 2022
    by Ashleigh Webber 24 May 2022

    The RMT union has announced a tube strike on 6 June over plans to cut 600 station jobs.

    • Minimum service levels
    • Employee relations
    • Dispute resolution

    Plan to enforce minimum service during rail strikes stokes union anger

    by Ashleigh Webber 23 May 2022
    by Ashleigh Webber 23 May 2022

    Union leaders have condemned a government threat to make strikes on the railways illegal unless a minimum number of staff work during a walkout.

    • Collective bargaining
    • Latest News
    • Gig economy

    Deliveroo signs deal with union GMB to cover self-employed riders

    by Adam McCulloch 12 May 2022
    by Adam McCulloch 12 May 2022

    Food delivery business Deliveroo has agreed a recognition deal with trade union GMB covering the company’s 90,000 drivers and riders....

    • Employee relations
    • Latest News
    • Industrial action / strikes

    Post Office staff strike over below-inflation pay offer

    by Ashleigh Webber 3 May 2022
    by Ashleigh Webber 3 May 2022

    Post Office workers are on strike today (3 May) after recieving a pay offer that falls below the cost of living, according to a union.

    • Coronavirus
    • Latest News
    • Sickness absence

    Union accuses easyJet of corporate bullying over staff sickness

    by Adam McCulloch 29 Apr 2022
    by Adam McCulloch 29 Apr 2022

    High sickness absence rates has led to cancelled flights and a row with the pilots' union at budget airline easyJet.

    • Collective redundancy
    • Employment law
    • Latest News

    A dark day for workers’ rights – why the P&O Ferries saga must not happen again

    by Neil Todd 29 Apr 2022
    by Neil Todd 29 Apr 2022

    What does the P&O Ferries saga tell us about the rights of workers on and offshore in the UK?

    • Employee communications
    • Latest News
    • Industrial action / strikes

    Network Rail: unions angered by ‘work harder at school’ comment

    by Adam McCulloch 28 Apr 2022
    by Adam McCulloch 28 Apr 2022

    A Network Rail regional director of communications has told rail workers about to take part in a national strike ballot...

    • Latest News
    • Industrial action / strikes
    • Inflation

    Union announces ballot for ‘biggest rail strike’

    by Rob Moss 20 Apr 2022
    by Rob Moss 20 Apr 2022

    More than 40,000 workers at Network Rail and 15 train operating companies are to be balloted for strike action in...

    • Employee relations
    • Employment law
    • Education

    Record £850k payout for teacher assaulted by pupil

    by Adam McCulloch 14 Apr 2022
    by Adam McCulloch 14 Apr 2022

    Teachers union reveals £15m was paid out to teachers who were subject to unfair dismissal, violence, bullying and unlawful deductions from wages.

    • Acas
    • Financial services
    • Dispute resolution

    Staff at FCA vote in favour of industrial action

    by Jo Faragher 13 Apr 2022
    by Jo Faragher 13 Apr 2022

    Staff at the Financial Conduct Authority have voted in favour of industrial action – a first for the financial services regulator.

    • Latest News
    • Trade unions

    Frances O’Grady to leave the TUC

    by Ashleigh Webber 12 Apr 2022
    by Ashleigh Webber 12 Apr 2022

    TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady is to step down at the end of this year after almost a decade at the helm of the trade union body.

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Personnel Today
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