Recognising a trade union - the issues

Introduction

A trade union is an organisation of workers that is designed to protect and advance the interests of its members. One of the ways it achieves this is by negotiating with employers about the pay and conditions under which its members work. Additional functions provided by trade unions include financial help, legal advice and, in certain instances, sickness payments.

Recent trade union agreements tend to emphasise mutual interests rather than adversarial bargaining. As a result many businesses reap the benefits of a more productive and motivated workforce.

This guide explains when and how a trade union might apply to your business for recognition. It details the procedures and consequences relating to voluntary and statutory recognition and derecognition of a trade union.

Subjects covered in this guide

• Introduction
• Meaning and types of trade union recognition
• Voluntary recognition of a trade union
• Statutory recognition of a trade union
• Legal consequences of statutory recognition
• Voluntary recognition within the statutory procedure
• Grounds and procedure for statutory derecognition
• Procedure where original bargaining unit is no longer appropriate
• Worker rights during recognition or derecognition

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