Recognition Decision
Updated 15 October 2026
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
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Case Number: TUR1/1536(2026)
15 October 2026
CENTRAL ARBITRATION COMMITTEE
TRADE UNION AND LABOUR RELATIONS (CONSOLIDATION) ACT 1992
SCHEDULE A1 - COLLECTIVE BARGAINING: RECOGNITION
DECLARATION OF RECOGNITION
The Parties:
Prospect
and
Nokia
1. Introduction
1) Prospect (the Union) submitted an application to the CAC on 15 April 2026 that it should be recognised for collective bargaining by Nokia (the Employer) for a bargaining unit comprising of “All Nokia staff contractually based in the UK up to and including JG12.” The location of the bargaining unit was given as Reading, The Hive. Bristol Aztec West, Cambridge Broers Building, and all hybrid/home-based workers at and including up to JG12. The CAC gave both parties notice of receipt of the application on 15 April 2026. The Employer submitted a response to the CAC dated 22 April which was copied to the Union.
2) In accordance with section 263 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (the Act), the CAC Chair established a Panel to deal with the case. The Panel consisted of Professor Alan Bogg, Panel Chair, and, as Members, Ms Deborah England and Ms Claire Sullivan. The Case Manager appointed to support the Panel was Kaniza Bibi.
3) By a decision dated 15 May 2026 the Panel accepted the Union’s application. The parties then entered a period of negotiation in an attempt to reach agreement on the appropriate bargaining unit. The Parties then confirmed-on 19 June 2026 that they reached an agreement on the bargaining unit as, “All permanent Nokia UK Limited staff contractually based in the UK, excluding Grade 12 Department Level 1, 2 & 3, Grade 11 Department Level 1 & 2, All legal Counsel, Country Management Team, and All HR roles”.
4) On 16 July 2026, the Panel not being satisfied that a majority of the workers constituting the bargaining unit were members of the Union, gave notice in accordance with paragraph 23(2) of the Schedule that it intended to arrange for the holding of a secret ballot in which the workers constituting the bargaining unit would be asked whether they wanted the Union to conduct collective bargaining on their behalf. The parties were advised that the Panel would wait until the end of the notification period, as specified in paragraphs 24(2) to (7) of the Schedule, before arranging for the holding of a ballot. The parties were also asked for their views on the form the ballot should take. Both parties requested a postal ballot, and the Panel also agreed that the ballot should be a postal vote.
5) On 3 September 2026 the CAC appointed Popularis as the balloting agency (Qualified Independent Person or QIP) to conduct the ballot, and the parties were notified accordingly. The postal ballot papers were dispatched on 18 September 2026 to be returned to the QIP by no later than noon on 8 October 2026.
6) The QIP reported to the CAC on 8 October 2026 that, of the 623 workers eligible to vote, 343 ballot papers had been returned. 277 workers, that is 81.00% of those voting, had voted to support the proposal that the Union be recognised for the purposes of collective bargaining with the Employer. 66 workers, that is 19.00% of those voting, voted to reject the proposal.
7) The CAC informed the Employer and the Union on 09 October 2026 of the result of the ballot in accordance with paragraph 29(2) of the Schedule.
2. Declaration of Recognition
8) The ballot establishes that a majority of the workers voting support the proposal that the Union should be recognised by the Employer for the purpose of conducting collective bargaining in respect of the bargaining unit. This satisfies the conditions under which the CAC must issue a declaration in favour of recognition in accordance with paragraph 29(3) of the Schedule.
9) The CAC accordingly declares that the Union is recognised by the Employer as entitled to conduct collective bargaining on behalf of the bargaining unit comprising of “All permanent Nokia UK Limited staff contractually based in the UK, excluding Grade 12 Department Level 1, 2 & 3, Grade 11 Department Level 1 & 2, All legal Counsel, Country Management Team, and All HR roles”.
Panel
Professor Alan Bogg
Ms Deborah England
Ms Claire Sullivan
15 October 2026