Trade unions have begun contacting businesses with demands for workplace access, anticipating the implementation of new worker rights laws spearheaded by Angela Rayner. These new provisions, part of Labour's Employment Rights Act, are set to grant shop stewards and union officials the authority to enter offices and factories starting next Friday.
Chris Coombes, a senior associate at employment law firm Littler, noted that several unions are already submitting voluntary access requests to businesses, even though the relevant regulations are not yet in force. This proactive approach has raised concerns among employers.
Shadow Chancellor Andrew Griffith stated that left-wing activists are feeling empowered by Labour's worker rights legislation and are acting preemptively. He described the Employment Rights Act as legislation written by and for trade unions, asserting it provides unions with extensive access to workplaces and workforces while imposing significant regulatory burdens on businesses.
Union leaders met with Chancellor John Healey at Downing Street this week to outline their demands ahead of the upcoming Budget. Since Labour's return to power in 2024, unions have already seen several key objectives met, including substantial increases to the minimum wage, the removal of the two-child benefit cap, and enhanced powers for organizing strikes.
An impact assessment conducted by the government projected that the Employment Rights Act could impose costs of up to £5 billion annually on businesses. A recent poll of nearly 200 business leaders indicated a lack of preparedness for the new union access rules, with only 2 percent of employers reporting full readiness, 48 percent partially prepared, and half completely unprepared.