Have your say: Consultation on industrial relations and trade unions
23/10/2024
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has launched a consultation on creating a modern framework for industrial relations. The consultation will close on 2 December 2024.
The Government wants to develop a framework for industrial relations that will stand the test of time. Workplaces and working practices have changed significantly over the last decade and the Government has been clear that trade union legislation which underpins industrial relations needs modernisation.
The consultation seeks views on:
- simplifying the amount of information unions are required to provide in industrial action notices
- strengthening provisions to prevent unfair practices during the trade union recognition process
- removing the 10-year ballot requirement on political funds
- securing a mandate for negotiation and dispute resolution
- extending the expiry of the strike mandate
- reducing the industrial action notice period
- updating the law on repudiation and prior call
- the enforcement mechanism for right of access
The consultation is seeking views on several proposals to build a positive, modern framework for industrial relations, with the potential for responses to inform government amendments to the Employment Rights Bill.
The consultation will close on 2 December 2024.