UK SRC to be reshaped from April 6 under Employment Rights Act 2025

The SRC, primarily governed by the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (as amended), allows independent trade unions to secure legal recognition for collective bargaining on pay, hours, and holidays when employers refuse voluntary agreement.

The UK Statutory Recognition Scheme will be reshaped from April 6 under the new Employment Rights Act, introducing several key changes.
The majority of the Trade Union Act 2016 will be repealed from February 18.
This change simplifies requirements on trade unions, including in relation to procedures around industrial action.
Employees will be protected from unfair dismissal for taking part in strikes.

Unions will no longer need to demonstrate that most workers in a proposed bargaining unit are likely to support recognition, removing the requirement for petitions or similar evidence.

When recognition is decided by ballot, unions will only need a simple majority of votes cast, with the former 40-per cent support requirement removed.

The majority of the Trade Union Act 2016 will be repealed from February 18.

The change simplifies requirements on trade unions, including in relation to procedures around industrial action.

Key changes include a 10-day notice period to inform employers of their intention to take industrial action (reduced from 14 days); a 12-month mandate (increased from 6 months) for ballots approving industrial action; no requirement for unions to reimburse employers for check-off administration in the public sector; and no need for unions to appoint a picket supervisor to monitor picket lines, according to a UK government release.

Employees will be protected from unfair dismissal for taking part in industrial action, whatever the length of the strike action (due to removal of the 12-week cap).

Unions will be required to include less information than previously in industrial action notices and industrial action ballot notices.

Public sector employers will no longer be required to publish facility time.

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