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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.


    • Employee relations
    • Dispute resolution
    • Latest News

    Bus depot’s first female driver dismissed for being ‘too short’

    by Rob Moss 10 Jan 2022
    by Rob Moss 10 Jan 2022

    More than 25,000 people have signed a petition to save the job of a Manchester bus depot’s first female driver.

    • Employee relations
    • Corporate governance
    • Collective bargaining

    Report: Prioritise workers’ pensions, not shareholder returns

    by Jo Faragher 10 Jan 2022
    by Jo Faragher 10 Jan 2022

    Shareholder returns that go into UK workers’ pensions are “very unequally allocated” and “disproportionately benefit a wealthy minority”.

    • Dispute resolution
    • Latest News
    • Industrial action / strikes

    Tesco averts pre-Christmas strike action with latest deal

    by Jo Faragher 15 Dec 2021
    by Jo Faragher 15 Dec 2021

    Tesco has agreed a deal with another of the unions representing its drivers and warehouse workers, averting the threat of...

    • Dispute resolution
    • Latest News
    • Industrial action / strikes

    How can HR respond to the threat of industrial action?

    by Camilla Beamish 13 Dec 2021
    by Camilla Beamish 13 Dec 2021

    What HR teams can do to minimise the impact of strike action – and stay on the right side of the law

    • Case law
    • Coronavirus
    • Collective bargaining

    The 10 most important employment law cases in 2021

    by Brightmine 8 Dec 2021
    by Brightmine 8 Dec 2021

    Despite the coronavirus pandemic, HR professionals have had their fair share of employment law rulings to keep track of in...

    • Latest News
    • Industrial action / strikes
    • Retail

    Tesco improves pay offer, but strike threat remains at some warehouses

    by Ashleigh Webber 8 Dec 2021
    by Ashleigh Webber 8 Dec 2021

    Strikes affecting several Tesco warehouses across England and Northern Ireland have been called off while union members vote on an...

    • Case law
    • Bullying and harassment
    • Latest News

    Union loses legal challenge over PM’s decision in Priti Patel bullying case

    by Ashleigh Webber 6 Dec 2021
    by Ashleigh Webber 6 Dec 2021

    A union has lost its High Court challenge against Boris Johnson’s decision to back the home secretary after she was...

    • Employee relations
    • Latest News
    • Industrial action / strikes

    Tesco warehouse staff to strike in pay dispute

    by Ashleigh Webber 6 Dec 2021
    by Ashleigh Webber 6 Dec 2021

    Staff at Tesco distribution centres across England and Northern Ireland are set to strike after being offered a below-inflation pay...

    • Acas
    • Fire and rehire
    • Employee relations

    Strikes off at Clarks as agreement reached with union

    by Jo Faragher 1 Dec 2021
    by Jo Faragher 1 Dec 2021

    Industrial action has come to an end at shoe manufacturer Clarks after an agreement was reached with the Community union....

    • Employee relations
    • Dispute resolution
    • Latest News

    ‘Our best offer is on the table’ say universities ahead of strike

    by Ashleigh Webber 30 Nov 2021
    by Ashleigh Webber 30 Nov 2021

    Bodies representing universities have said that their best offer is on the table as they prepare for three days of...

    • Employee relations
    • Latest News
    • Industrial action / strikes

    Amazon workers protest over pay and conditions

    by Adam McCulloch 26 Nov 2021
    by Adam McCulloch 26 Nov 2021

    Amazon workers across the globe are planning industrial action and protests today – Black Friday – one of the online retailer's busiest days of the year.

    • NHS
    • Employee relations
    • Latest News

    GPs threaten industrial action over face-to-face appointments

    by Jo Faragher 26 Nov 2021
    by Jo Faragher 26 Nov 2021

    Ballot was held because ‘relationships are broken and trust has been lost’, and that doctors feel ‘demoralised, broken and exhausted’.

    • Employee relations
    • Dispute resolution
    • Latest News

    University staff stage three-day strike over pensions, pay and conditions

    by Ashleigh Webber 17 Nov 2021
    by Ashleigh Webber 17 Nov 2021

    Academics at 58 universities have voted to strike for three days in December in a long-running dispute over pension cuts,...

    • Agency workers
    • Latest News
    • Industrial action / strikes

    Union accuses Clarks of using agency staff to cover striking workers

    by Ashleigh Webber 10 Nov 2021
    by Ashleigh Webber 10 Nov 2021

    Clarks has been accused of using agency workers to cover tasks usually performed by workers who are on strike at...

    • Case law
    • Employee relations
    • Collective bargaining

    Kostal v Dunkley: How bypassing collective bargaining can cost employers dearly

    by Richard Arthur 10 Nov 2021
    by Richard Arthur 10 Nov 2021

    Last month, the Supreme Court delivered a ground-breaking ruling in the case of Kostal v Dunkley and others. Richard Arthur...

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