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• Updated: 30 January 2023

Employer's responsibilities during the process of union recognition.

• Overview

  As an employer you may need to work with trade unions that represent…

• When the union requests recognition

  The union must ask you - the employer - in writing if you’ll agree to…

• When the union applies for statutory recognition

  The union can apply to the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) for…

• Establishing the bargaining unit

  The ‘bargaining unit’ is the group of employees that will be represented…

• Ballot on union recognition

  Your employees will be balloted about whether they want the union to be…

• Complaints about and from the union

  You can complain to the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) if the union…

• Ending negotiations

  You and the union will not need to continue negotiations if the union…

• Updated: 19 October 2026

The British Hallmarking Council's HALO award 2023 is open for submissions.

• Updated: 30 June 2023

This guide provides information on statutory derecognition of a trade union

• Updated: 16 September 2020

Apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate to legally change your gender.

This guidance relates to agreements for collective bargaining recognition

• Updated: 15 September 2020

Earned Recognition aims to reduce the burden for compliant businesses by enabling Competent Authorities to focus their food and feed official controls on those that are less compliant.

• Updated: 29 June 2026

This guidance is on a Union making an application to be recognised for collective bargaining

• Updated: 7 June 2022

How to apply for a union to be derecognised when an employer or a worker wants union to stop negotiating