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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.


    • Dispute resolution
    • Latest News
    • Industrial action / strikes

    Avanti strike on track as pay dispute continues

    by Kavitha Sivasubramaniam 10 Jan 2025
    by Kavitha Sivasubramaniam 10 Jan 2025

    Avanti West Coast staff will go on strike as planned this Sunday (12 January) as the dispute over pay continues, the RMT union confirms.

    • Department for Education
    • Latest News
    • Industrial action / strikes

    Education union threatens strike action

    by Jo Faragher 10 Jan 2025
    by Jo Faragher 10 Jan 2025

    England’s biggest teaching union, the National Education Union, has announced it will ballot on strike action.
    The NEU has accused...

    • Latest News
    • Trade unions

    RMT boss Mick Lynch to retire

    by Rob Moss 9 Jan 2025
    by Rob Moss 9 Jan 2025

    RMT general secretary Mick Lynch to retire in May at the age of 63, after four years leading the rail union.

    • Europe
    • Manufacturing
    • Latest News

    Volkswagen agrees deal to avoid compulsory redundancies

    by Adam McCulloch 23 Dec 2024
    by Adam McCulloch 23 Dec 2024

    Volkswagen has agreed a deal with the IG Metall trade union that will avoid further strikes, plant closures in Germany and immediate compulsory redundancies.

    • NHS
    • Latest News
    • Trade unions

    GMB union calls for NHS pay awards to be ‘truly independent’

    by Kavitha Sivasubramaniam 18 Dec 2024
    by Kavitha Sivasubramaniam 18 Dec 2024

    The GMB Union urges the Pay Review Body (PRB) to ensure NHS workers’ pay awards next April are “truly independent”.

    • Dispute resolution
    • Latest News
    • Industrial action / strikes

    Avanti West Coast workers to strike on New Year’s Eve

    by Jo Faragher 18 Dec 2024
    by Jo Faragher 18 Dec 2024

    Avanti West Coast workers will now strike over New Year's Eve and on Sundays between January and May.

    • Latest News
    • Trade unions
    • Works councils

    Royal Mail takeover approved, staff to receive dividend

    by Jo Faragher 16 Dec 2024
    by Jo Faragher 16 Dec 2024

    The government has approved the takeover of Royal Mail’s parent company to Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky.

    • Latest News
    • Industrial action / strikes
    • Trade unions

    Christmas rail strikes suspended after new pay offer

    by Jo Faragher 13 Dec 2024
    by Jo Faragher 13 Dec 2024

    A series of rail strikes due to take place over the Christmas period have been suspended after Avanti West Coast submitted a revised offer to union members.

    • Employment law
    • Latest News
    • Economics, government & business

    2024: the year’s biggest news in employment and HR

    by Adam McCulloch 13 Dec 2024
    by Adam McCulloch 13 Dec 2024

    The arrival of the first Labour government for 14 years ushered in a host of changes for employers.

    • NHS
    • Education
    • Latest News

    Unions call 2.8% pay rise proposal an ‘insult’

    by Jo Faragher 11 Dec 2024
    by Jo Faragher 11 Dec 2024

    Ministers have written to pay review bodies recommending a pay rise of 2.8% for public sector workers, prompting anger from unions.

    • Latest News
    • Equal pay
    • Trade unions

    Birmingham City Council to settle 6,000 equal pay claims

    by Kavitha Sivasubramaniam 10 Dec 2024
    by Kavitha Sivasubramaniam 10 Dec 2024

    Birmingham City Council agrees to settle 6,000 equal pay claims brought by both past and present staff four years after they were launched.

    • Fire and rehire
    • Employee relations
    • Latest News

    Tribunal uplifts for ‘fire and rehire’ code breaches to take effect

    by Jo Faragher 9 Dec 2024
    by Jo Faragher 9 Dec 2024

    Employers that fail to comply with the statutory code of practice on dismissal and re-engagement could be forced to pay more from January next year.

    • Latest News
    • Economics, government & business
    • Sickness absence

    Unions call for rise in statutory sick pay

    by Jo Faragher 6 Dec 2024
    by Jo Faragher 6 Dec 2024

    A group of 24 union leaders has written to the government urging it to go further with reform to statutory sick pay (SSP).

    • Sexual harassment
    • Bullying and harassment
    • Latest News

    GMB still mired in sexism and bullying allegations, say employees

    by Adam McCulloch 29 Nov 2024
    by Adam McCulloch 29 Nov 2024

    A group of current and former GMB employees are set to complain to watchdog the Equality and Human Rights Commission about institutional sexism at the trade union.

    • Industrial action / strikes
    • Trade unions
    • Global HR

    Amazon workers set for global Black Friday strikes

    by Kavitha Sivasubramaniam 25 Nov 2024
    by Kavitha Sivasubramaniam 25 Nov 2024

    Amazon workers across six continents are preparing to strike or protest from Black Friday until Cyber Monday (29 November to 2 December).

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