New duty to inform workers of their right to join a trade union is DELAYED!
Inna Ratsebarska, Employment Law & HR
The Government has confirmed that the new requirement for employers to inform workers of their right to join a trade union will now come into force in January 2027.
Under the new rules, employers will be required to provide workers with a standard written statement issued by the Government, setting out information about the right to join a trade union and trade union functions.
The statement will need to be provided to:
- new workers when they commence employment; and
- existing workers, either directly or by making the information continuously accessible through an internal system (such as the intranet). Employers will also be required on an annual basis to either resend the statement or resend details of where to find it.
Where there are changes to recognised trade unions, statutory access agreements or relevant contact details, employers will also be required to update and reissue the statement within one month of the changes.
The Government's proposed standard written statement has not yet been published, but employers should consider now how workers will be provided with the statement, how annual reminders will be managed and where statements will be stored to ensure ongoing accessibility.
The other trade union changes, such as strengthened rights of access and reforms to the recognition process, are still due to come into force on 30 0ctober 2026.
The following changes will also come into effect shortly:
- As of 1 October 2026, the time limit for bringing an employment tribunal claim will double from 3 months to 6 months
- As of 30 October 2026, employers must take ALL reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment at work AND they will become liable for third party sexual harassment.
Please contact a member of our Employment Law & HR Team for further information.
