Trade union representatives (‘reps’) are entitled to certain rights to carry out their trade union duties and activities. These include: time off work with or without pay access to accommodation and facilities The rights of trade union health and safety reps are covered by The Health and Safety Executive guidance. When reps are entitled to these rights They’re entitled to these rights as long as the union is: independent officially recognised by the employer to represent union members in negotiations on things like pay and terms and conditions They must also: be an employee have been elected or appointed in line with the union’s rules Learning and equality reps must also have completed sufficient training for their duties and informed their employer. Read the Acas Code of Practice on time off for trade union duties and activities for more information about their notification and training requirements. Equality reps who have been acting in their role for at least 6 months before 30 October 2026 do not have to complete training or inform their employer.

Trade union representatives (‘reps’) are entitled to time off to carry out their role. They’re entitled to paid or unpaid time off depending on whether they’re completing trade union duties or trade union activities. When reps are entitled to paid time off Reps have the right to reasonable paid time off for trade union duties such as: negotiating pay, terms and conditions helping union members with disciplinary or grievance procedures including meetings to hear their cases going with union members to meetings with their line manager to discuss flexible working requests discussing issues that affect union members like redundancies or the sale of the business Learning reps have the right to reasonable paid time off for trade union duties such as: analysing the learning or training needs of union members giving information and advice about learning or training arranging or encouraging learning or training discussing their activities as a learning rep with their employer training as a learning rep Equality reps have the right to reasonable paid time off for trade union duties such as: promoting the value of equality at work arranging learning or training relating to equality at work providing information, advice or support to qualifying union members relating to equality at work consulting with the employer about equality at work, for example by taking part in collective bargaining on equality matters obtaining and analysing information relating to equality at work When reps are not entitled to paid time off Reps are not entitled to paid time off for trade union activities. Employers must allow unpaid time off for trade union activities, although they may choose to provide paid time off. Trade union activities include: attending general union meetings voting in union elections participating in workplace union meetings as a member instead of as an official rep What counts as reasonable All requests for time off work should be reasonable. Employers should agree to requests unless they can show they’re not reasonable, for example, because of: the kind of work the business or organisation does workloads the needs of line managers and co-workers the importance of health and safety at work the amount of time reps have already had off for trade union work Reps and employers should discuss and agree on what reasonable time off is. Read the Acas Code of Practice on time off for trade union duties and activities for information about what’s considered reasonable time off.

Access to accommodation and facilities

Trade union representatives (‘reps’) are entitled to access to accommodation and facilities to carry out their trade union duties and training. This could include resources such as: meeting rooms telephones noticeboards They’re not entitled to access to accommodation and facilities for union activities - for example, attending general meetings or voting in union elections. How to access them Reps must make a request to their employer to access accommodation and facilities. Requests should be reasonable. Reps and employers should discuss and agree what reasonable access is. Further information Read the Acas Code of Practice on time off for trade union duties and activities for more information about: the difference between trade union duties and activities what’s considered reasonable how to agree on reasonable access requests

When employers and reps disagree

If trade union representatives (‘reps’) have problems getting time off work or access to accommodation and facilities, they can: speak to their trade union use their employer’s grievance procedures They should also check their employment contract, company handbook or intranet site for details. As a last resort, reps may be able to take a case to an employment tribunal . Further information Read the Acas Code of Practice on time off for trade union duties and activities for more information. Requests from before 30 October 2026 If the rep made the request for time off or access before 30 October: they will need to show any time off requested was reasonable they do not have a right to access accommodation or facilities equality reps do not have a right to paid time off work

The rights of trade union reps

Overview

Trade union representatives (‘reps’) are entitled to certain rights to carry out their trade union duties and activities. These include:

time off work with or without pay
access to accommodation and facilities

The rights of trade union health and safety reps are covered by The Health and Safety Executive guidance.

When reps are entitled to these rights

They’re entitled to these rights as long as the union is:

independent
officially recognised by the employer to represent union members in negotiations on things like pay and terms and conditions

They must also:

be an employee
have been elected or appointed in line with the union’s rules

Learning and equality reps must also have completed sufficient training for their duties and informed their employer. Read the Acas Code of Practice on time off for trade union duties and activities for more information about their notification and training requirements.

Equality reps who have been acting in their role for at least 6 months before 30 October 2026 do not have to complete training or inform their employer.

View a printable version of the whole guide

The rights of trade union reps

Overview

When reps are entitled to these rights

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The rights of trade union reps

Overview

When reps are entitled to these rights

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