Recognition Decision
Updated 24 September 2026
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
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Case Number: TUR1/1558(2026)
22 September 2026
CENTRAL ARBITRATION COMMITTEE
TRADE UNION AND LABOUR RELATIONS (CONSOLIDATION) ACT 1992
SCHEDULE A1 - COLLECTIVE BARGAINING: RECOGNITION
DECLARATION THAT THE UNION IS NOT ENTITLED TO BE RECOGNISED
The Parties:
National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT)
and
Maritime Transport Limited
1. Introduction
1) National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) (the Union) submitted an application to the CAC on 22 April 2026 that it should be recognised for collective bargaining by Maritime Transport Limited (the Employer) for a bargaining unit comprising “all non-management employees at Doncaster iPort”. The location of the bargaining unit was given as “Doncaster iPort.” The CAC gave both parties notice of receipt of the application on 27 April 2026. The Employer submitted a response to the CAC dated 5 May 2026 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 Mr Rohan Pirani, Panel Chair, and, as Members, Mr John Rawling and Mr Ian Hanson QPM. The Case Manager appointed to support the Panel was Joanne Curtis.
3) By a decision dated 1 June 2026 the Panel accepted the Union’s application. Following this decision, the parties reached agreement on the appropriate bargaining unit on 8 July 2026. The agreed bargaining unit was described as “all non-management employees at Doncaster iPort.”
4) On 9 July 2026, the Panel, satisfied that a majority of the workers constituting the bargaining unit were not 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 Panel also advised the parties that it would wait until the end of the notification period of ten working days, as specified in paragraph 24(5), before arranging a secret ballot.
5) The notification period under paragraph 24(5) of the Schedule ended on 22 July 2026. The CAC was not notified by both the parties that they did not want the ballot to be held, as per paragraph 24(2). The parties were also asked for their views on the form the ballot should take.
6) The parties both proposed and agreed that the appropriate form of ballot in this matter was a postal ballot and thereafter reached agreement on access arrangements. The Panel directed that Mi-Voice should be appointed as the Qualified Independent Person (QIP) to conduct the ballot.
2. The Ballot
7) Mi-Voice was appointed as QIP on 19 August 2026 to conduct the ballot and the parties were notified accordingly. The postal ballot papers were despatched on 4 September 2026, to be returned by no later than noon on 17 September 2026.
8) The QIP reported to the CAC on 17 September 2026, that out of 32 workers eligible to vote, 23 ballot papers had been returned: no ballot papers were found to be spoilt. One worker, that is 4.3% of those voting, had voted to support the proposal that the Union be recognised for the purposes of collective bargaining with the Employer. 22 workers, that is 95.7% of those voting, voted to reject the proposal.
9) The CAC informed the Employer and the Union on 21 September 2026 of the result of the ballot in accordance with paragraph 29(2) of the Schedule.
3. Declaration that the Union is not entitled to be recognised
10) The ballot did not establish that a majority of the workers voting supported the proposal that the Union should be recognised by the Employer for the purposes of conducting collective bargaining on behalf of the bargaining unit.
11) In accordance with paragraph 29(4) of the Schedule, the CAC declares that the Union is not recognised as entitled to conduct collective bargaining on behalf of the bargaining unit.
Panel
Mr Rohan Pirani, Panel Chair
Mr John Rawling
Mr Ian Hanson QPM
22 September 2026