Decision

Recognition Decision

Updated 7 July 2026

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

Case Number: TUR1/1514(2025)

7 July 2026

CENTRAL ARBITRATION COMMITTEE

TRADE UNION AND LABOUR RELATIONS (CONSOLIDATION) ACT 1992

SCHEDULE A1 - COLLECTIVE BARGAINING: RECOGNITION

DECLARATION OF RECOGNITION

The Parties:

Unite the Union

and

Moreco Group Limited

1. Introduction

1)         Unite the Union (the Union) submitted an application to the CAC dated 27 November 2025 that it should be recognised for collective bargaining purposes by Moreco Group Ltd (the Employer) for a bargaining unit comprising “All Moreco Group Ltd employees working at or from the Milk and More Watford Depot (1 Odhams Trading Estate, Watford WD24 7RY save for those employed at Assistant Manager Level or above.”

2)         The location of the bargaining unit was given as Milk and More Watford Depot (1 Odhams Trading Estate, Watford WD24 7RY. The application was received by the CAC on 27 November 2025, and the CAC gave both parties notice of receipt of the application on 27 November 2025. The Employer submitted a response to the CAC dated 3 December 2025 which was copied to the Union.

3)         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 Mrs Lisa Gettins, Panel Chair, and, as Members, Ms Julia Buck and Ms Joanna Brown. The Case Manager appointed to support the Panel was Joanne Curtis.

4)         By a decision dated 12 January 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. As no agreement was reached, the parties were invited to supply the Panel with, and to exchange, written submissions relating to the question of the determination of the appropriate bargaining unit. A hearing was held via Teams on 15 April 2026.^{[footnote 1]}In a decision dated 11 May 2026 the Panel from that hearing said that the appropriate bargaining unit was that proposed by the Union namely: “All Moreco Group Limited employees working at or from the Milk & More Watford depot (1 Odhams Trading Estate, Watford WD24 7RY) save for those employed at Assistant Manager level or above”. 

5)         On 11 May 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,^{[footnote 2]}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.

6)         The notification period described in the preceding paragraph elapsed without the Union, or the Union and the Employer jointly, informing the CAC that a ballot was not required.

7)       In an e mail to the Case Manager dated 11 May 2026 the Union stated that its preference was for a postal ballot. In an e-mail dated 13 May 2026 the Employer stated its preference for a postal ballot.

2. The Ballot

8)         On 27 May 2026 Mi-Voice was appointed as the Qualified Independent Person (QIP) to conduct the ballot, and the parties were notified accordingly. The postal ballot papers were dispatched on 11 June 2026 to be returned to the QIP by no later than Noon on 24 June 2026.

9)         The QIP reported to the CAC on 24 June 2026 that, of the 43 workers eligible to vote, 20 ballot papers had been returned. 20 workers, that is 100% of those voting, had voted to support the proposal that the Union be recognised for the purposes of collective bargaining with the Employer. No workers, that is 0% of those voting, voted to reject the proposal. 

10)       The CAC informed the Employer and the Union on 29 June 2026 of the result of the ballot in accordance with paragraph 29(2) of the Schedule.

3. Declaration of Recognition

11)       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.

12)       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 “All Moreco Group Limited employees working at or from the Milk & More Watford depot (1 Odhams Trading Estate, Watford WD24 7RY) save for those employed at Assistant Manager level or above.”

Panel

Mrs Lisa Gettins, Panel Chair

Ms Julia Buck

Ms Joanna Brown

7 July 2026

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1. The Panel mentioned in this declaration did not participate in the bargaining unit determination hearing. ↩

2. The “notification period”, in relation to notification by the union, is the period of 10 working days starting with the day on which the union receives the CAC’s notice under paragraph 23(2) or such longer period as the CAC may specify; in relation to notification by the unions and the employer, the period of 10 working days starting with the day on which the last of the parties receives the CAC’s notice or such longer period as the CAC may specify: paragraph 24(5),(6). ↩