Joining a trade union
Trade union membership: your employment rights
You have the right to:
- choose to join a union
- choose not to join a union
- decide to leave or remain a member of a union
- belong to the union you choose, even if it’s not the one your employer negotiates with on pay, terms and conditions
- belong to more than one union
Your employer is not allowed to:
- offer you a benefit to leave a trade union
- threaten to treat you unfairly if you do not leave a union
Refusing to employ you for trade union membership reasons
An employer or employment agency is not allowed to insist that you:
- join or leave a trade union
- leave one union for another
Dismissal for trade union membership reasons
Your employer is not allowed to dismiss you or choose you for redundancy because you:
- are or want to be a union member
- are not or do not want to be a union member
- took part or wanted to take part in union activities
- took part in protected industrial action and strikes
Other unfavourable treatment
Your employer must not treat you unfavourably (for example, refusing you promotion or training opportunities) if you:
- join a union
- take part in its meetings
- choose not to join a union or choose to leave a union
- take part in protected industrial action and strikes
What to do if you have a problem
If you have a problem, you should first try to discuss the issue with your employer and, if you are a member of a union, your trade union.
Contact the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) if you have any questions about trade union membership.
You may be able to use a grievance procedure or go to an employment tribunal if you think your employer has treated you unfairly because of your trade union membership or absence of trade union membership.