Britain’s employers could soon be handing every worker a government-approved message about joining a union – and business groups are far from happy about it.
Under plans set out in the Employment Rights Bill, firms would have to tell staff about their legal right to join a union, using official wording written in Whitehall.
The change would mean every workplace, whether a big warehouse or a small office, has to pass on the same pro-union information. The aim is to stop managers quietly ignoring union rights or giving staff the impression they have no real choice. Ministers say it is about making sure people know what they are entitled to and can decide for themselves.
The move would apply even if no union is recognised at a particular workplace, and bosses would have to deliver the message when staff start a job or their contract changes.
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Business leaders cry foul over ‘propaganda’
The backlash from business has been loud and immediate. Andrew Griffith, the shadow business secretary, pulled no punches when he said, “It’ll be Christmas every day for trade unions if this sinister proposal became law. Every employer in the land will be compelled to promote trade unions using government-dictated propaganda.”
He went further, warning, “Alongside the ‘right to roam’ for unions into firms, it will result in the colonisation of the private sector by trade unions and the collapse of British productivity and growth.”
Craig Beaumont at the Federation of Small Businesses also argued that repeating the same message over and over would just create more pointless red tape. He said the government has “a moral responsibility” to make sure any union information given out is factual, not a glossy sales pitch. He added, “Misinformation putting a positive sales gloss on trade unions should not take the place of objective information about what a union actually achieves.”
The Institute of Directors took a similar line. Alex Hall Chen said a quick mention of union rights in the welcome paperwork was fair enough, but requiring bosses to push union membership again and again was “out of step with the vast majority of employment rights, which employers are not required to proactively reiterate”.
Workers ‘kept in the dark’
Union leaders, though, have welcomed the idea. Gary Smith, head of the GMB Union, argued that for too long, “bad bosses have relied on workers not getting the full picture of what they’re entitled to”. He said, “The least every worker should expect is to be told about their legal right to join a union. It’s a simple case of honesty and transparency and it’s never a problem for good employers.”
The Trades Union Congress dismissed complaints as over the top. A spokesperson said, “Scaremongering around this bill is getting frankly absurd. Employers already have to give their staff basic information about terms and conditions, this is no different.”
For Unison, Christina McAnea pointed out that, “Barons, earls and viscounts probably never worry about being unfairly sacked by an unpleasant boss. But sadly many working people do.” She urged peers in the House of Lords to “do the right thing and pass the bill without delay”.
A government source insisted the new rule was about giving people real choice, not telling them what to do. “People have a right to join a trade union if they want to in their workplace — just as they have a right not to, if that’s their personal choice,” they said. Ministers hope the official message will reduce arguments over union access and stop scenes where leaflets are handed out on the street because bosses block the unions at the door.
Part of a wider fight over workers’ rights
The union rights message is just one part of the Employment Rights Bill, which is now back before parliament. The bill also includes the promise of day-one sick pay, parental leave and a ban on exploitative zero-hours contracts. But much of the heat has come from the proposal to allow unlimited compensation for unfair dismissal, and a new rule that lets people bring unfair dismissal claims after only six months in a job rather than two years.
There is little doubt, observers say, the government wants to make its mark with the biggest shake-up of employment law in a generation. Ministers argue the reforms are “pro-worker and pro-business” and will boost productivity. Yet as the bill heads for more scrutiny in the House of Lords, debate about union rights and employer obligations shows no sign of calming down.
Business and union leaders will both be watching closely to see if the new law really does make it “Christmas every day” for the country’s unions, or simply gives workers a fairer choice about how they are represented at work.
William Furney is a Managing Editor at Black and White Trading Ltd based in Kingston upon Hull, UK. He is a prolific author and contributor at Workplace Wellbeing Professional, with over 127 published posts covering HR, employee engagement, and workplace wellbeing topics. His writing focuses on contemporary employment issues including pension schemes, employee health, financial struggles affecting workers, and broader workplace trends.
- William Furney
- William Furney
- William Furney
- William Furney
