Recognition Decision
Updated 13 July 2026
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
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Case Number: TUR1/1521/2026
10 July 2026
CENTRAL ARBITRATION COMMITTEE
TRADE UNION AND LABOUR RELATIONS (CONSOLIDATION) ACT 1992
SCHEDULE A1 - COLLECTIVE BARGAINING: RECOGNITION
DECLARATION OF RECOGNITION WITHOUT A BALLOT
The Parties:
United Voices of the World
and
WGC Ltd
1. Introduction
1) United Voices of the World (the Union) submitted an application to the CAC dated 29 January 2026 that it should be recognised for collective bargaining purposes by WGC Ltd (the Employer) in respect of a bargaining unit comprising “employees of WGC Ltd who work within the housekeeping department who work at London Canary Wharf East, 5 Fairmont Ave, London, E14 9JB.” The location of the bargaining unit was given as “Radisson Blu Hotel, London Canary Wharf East, 5 Fairmont Ave, London E14 9JB.” The application was received by the CAC on 29 January 2026, and the CAC gave both parties notice of receipt of the application on 30 January 2026. The Employer submitted a response to the CAC dated 5 February 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 Ms Naeema Choudry, Panel Chair, and, as Members, Mr Mustafa Faruqi and Mr Andy Peart. The Case Manager appointed to support the Panel was Kate Norgate.
3) By a decision dated 18 March 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. By e-mail dated 29 June 2026 the Union confirmed that that the bargaining unit had been agreed in the same terms as was originally proposed in the Union’s application as set out in paragraph 1 above.
4) The Schedule provides that where the CAC is satisfied that a majority of the workers constituting the bargaining unit are members of the union, it must issue a declaration of recognition under paragraph 22(2), unless any of three qualifying conditions in paragraph 22(4) applies. Paragraph 22(3) requires the CAC to hold a ballot even where it has found there is a majority of union members in the bargaining unit if any of these conditions is fulfilled. The qualifying conditions are set out in paragraph 22(4). They are:
a) the CAC is satisfied that a ballot should be held in the interests of good industrial relations;
b) a significant number of the union members within the bargaining unit inform the CAC that they do not want the unions to conduct collective bargaining on their behalf;
c) membership evidence is produced which leads the CAC to conclude that there are doubts whether a significant number of the union members within the bargaining unit want the unions to conduct collective bargaining on their behalf.
2. Unions’ submissions on the issue of majority membership
5) On 29 June 2026 the Union was asked whether it claimed that it had majority membership within the bargaining unit and therefore submitted that it should be granted recognition without a ballot. The Union, in an email dated 30 June 2026, said “I can confirm that we maintain that we have a majority of members in the bargaining unit at Canary Wharf.
More specifically, based on our membership data, we have 81% density of members of our proposed bargaining unit, or 17 members out of 21 workers. Based on this clear mandate from our members, the union contends that a ballot would not prove necessary in this instance.”
3. Employer’s submissions on the issue of majority membership
6) On 30 June 2026 the Union’s email was copied to the Employer and its submissions were invited on the Union’s claim to majority membership and on the paragraph 22 qualifying conditions as set out above.
7) In an email dated 3 July 2026 the Employer said, “thank you for your letter inviting submissions on the Union’s claim to majority membership within the bargaining unit and on the qualifying conditions set out in paragraph 22(4) of the Schedule. WGC has considered the Union’s claim and the qualifying conditions and confirms that it does not wish to make submissions challenging the Union’s claim to majority membership, nor does it wish to invoke any of the three qualifying conditions in paragraph 22(4). WGC looks forward to receiving the Panel’s determination on recognition and to engaging constructively with the procedural steps that follow.”
4. Considerations
8) The Act requires the Panel to consider whether it is satisfied that a majority of the workers constituting the bargaining unit are members of the Union. If the Panel is satisfied that a majority of the workers constituting the bargaining unit are members of the Union, it must then decide if any of the three conditions in paragraph 22(4) is fulfilled. If the Panel considers that any of them is fulfilled it must give notice to the parties that it intends to arrange for the holding of a secret ballot.
9) The Panel is satisfied that the Union has majority membership in the bargaining unit. At the time of the membership check on 25 February 2026 the Union had 16 members in a bargaining unit comprising of 22 workers this equates to 72.73% of the bargaining unit. In circumstances where the majority of the workers in the bargaining unit are members of the Union, the Schedule requires the Panel to declare the Union recognised unless it is satisfied that one or more of the qualifying conditions are met. Indeed, it states that the Panel ‘must’ declare the Union to be recognised unless we find that one or more of the qualifying conditions set out in paragraph 4 above are met.
10) The Panel has considered carefully whether any of the qualifying conditions set out in paragraph 22(4) of the Schedule is fulfilled.
Condition 22(4)(a)
11) The Panel has not received any evidence that a ballot should be held in the interests of good industrial relations and is satisfied that this condition is not fulfilled.
Condition 22(4)(b)
12) The Panel has no evidence, which it considers to be credible, from a significant number of the union members within the bargaining unit that they do not want the union to conduct collective bargaining on their behalf. The Panel has therefore concluded that this condition does not apply.
Condition 22(4)(c)
13) No membership evidence as defined in paragraph 22(5) had been produced that could lead the panel to conclude there were doubts whether a significant number of the union members within the bargaining unit wanted the Union to conduct collective bargaining on their behalf. The Panel is satisfied that this condition is not met.
5. Decision
14) The Panel is satisfied in accordance with paragraph 22(1)(b) of the Schedule that a majority of the workers constituting the bargaining unit are members of the Union. The Panel is satisfied that none of the conditions in paragraph 22(4) of the Schedule are met. Pursuant to paragraph 22(2) of the Schedule, the CAC must therefore issue a declaration that the Union is recognised as entitled to conduct collective bargaining on behalf of the workers constituting the bargaining unit. 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 “employees of WGC Ltd who work within the housekeeping department who work at London Canary Wharf East, 5 Fairmont Ave, London, E14 9JB.”
Panel
Ms Naeema Choudry, Panel Chair
Mr Mustafa Faruqi
Mr Andy Peart
10 July 2026