Threads / Making Work Pay Employment Reforms / Make Work Pay: trade union right of access
Consultation Outcome Published 8 Apr 2026 Department for Business and Trade ↗ View on GOV.UK

Make Work Pay: trade union right of access

We're consulting on how the new legal framework for trade unions’ right of access into workplaces should work in practice. We're seeking views on the practical and operational details of the framework.

Opened 23 Oct 2025
Closed 18 Dec 2025
▤ Verbatim text from source document

The Employment Rights Bill will introduce a new framework for trade unions to access workplaces physically, and to communicate with workers in person or digitally.  

This includes details on:

  • how unions will request access
  • how employers respond
  • factors the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) will take into account when determining whether access should be granted and on what terms
  • how the CAC is to come to decisions on the values of fines issued for breaches of access agreements

This consultation invites views from trade unions, employers, workers, and members of the public who are likely to be affected by this new framework.