Trade Union Services for Employers

Strategic employment law advice to help employers manage trade union recognition, collective bargaining and workplace relations effectively.

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Working with trade unions can involve complex legal, commercial and employee relations considerations. Whether a union is already recognised within your organisation or you are responding to a recognition request for the first time, understanding your rights and responsibilities can help maintain constructive workplace relationships and reduce the risk of disputes.

DTM Legal advises employers on trade union recognition, collective bargaining, recognition agreements, employee representation and industrial relations. We help businesses understand the legal framework while developing a practical approach that reflects their workforce, organisational structure and wider commercial objectives.

Our Employment & HR solicitors can support employers with day-to-day union relations, negotiations and collective disputes, as well as formal proceedings before the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC). Where trade union involvement arises during redundancy or wider organisational change, we can coordinate this advice with our separate Organisational Change service.

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Trade Union Legal Services

We provide practical advice and support across a wide range of trade union matters, including:

  • Voluntary trade union recognition
  • Responding to statutory recognition requests
  • Central Arbitration Committee proceedings
  • Identifying and negotiating appropriate bargaining units
  • Drafting and reviewing recognition agreements
  • Collective bargaining arrangements
  • Negotiating collective agreements
  • Pay, working hours and holiday negotiations
  • Reviewing existing collective agreements
  • Advising on the incorporation of collective terms into employment contracts
  • Trade union representative rights and facilities
  • Time off for trade union duties and activities
  • Disclosure of information for collective bargaining
  • Consultation with recognised trade unions
  • Collective grievances and workplace disputes
  • Industrial relations strategy
  • Threatened and actual industrial action
  • Responding to picketing and other union activity
  • Trade union access to the workplace
  • Negotiation, mediation and Acas support
  • Trade union derecognition
  • Training for managers and HR teams dealing with trade unions

Why Instruct DTM Legal?

Trade union relationships require employers to balance legal obligations with practical workforce considerations. Our Employment & HR team helps businesses understand when they must consult or negotiate with a union and where management retains the ability to make its own commercial decisions.

We provide strategic advice on recognition, bargaining structures and collective agreements, as well as support during difficult negotiations or disputes. Our focus is on helping employers communicate effectively, maintain productive industrial relations and avoid unnecessary escalation.

Where formal procedures become necessary, we can represent employers in recognition and derecognition matters before the CAC and advise on disputes involving collective bargaining, union representatives or industrial action.

We provide:

  • Practical and commercially focused employment law advice
  • Clear guidance on trade union recognition and bargaining
  • Support negotiating recognition and collective agreements
  • Advice on trade union representatives and workplace rights
  • Strategic support during collective disputes
  • Assistance with industrial relations and industrial action
  • Representation before the Central Arbitration Committee

Get in Touch

Whether you are responding to a trade union recognition request, reviewing a collective agreement or managing a dispute with employee representatives, our Employment & HR team can help you develop a practical and constructive strategy.

To discuss your requirements, contact us by emailing employment@dtmlegal.com or calling 01244 354 800 / 0151 321 0000.

Key Contact
Partner / Head of Employment & HR
DTM Legal
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Key Considerations When Managing Collective Change or Trade Union Relations

Read our Key Considerations guide to understand some of the points a solicitor may wish to discuss when responding to your enquiry. It can help you prepare the relevant information and make your initial conversation more productive.

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Employment & HR Team

tom evans team members img 01
Tom Evans

Partner / Head of Employment & HR
Louise Harcombe, Associate, Employment (1)
Louise Harcombe

Associate, Employment & HR
Michelle Roby, Chartered Legal Executive Employment & HR
Michelle Roby

Chartered Legal Executive, Employment & HR

Frequently Asked Questions

Commonly asked questions concerning legal services for collective consultation and trade union relations.

An employer can voluntarily recognise a trade union and agree the employees and matters covered by collective bargaining.

Where voluntary recognition is not agreed, an independent trade union may be able to apply to the CAC for statutory recognition. The statutory recognition procedure applies to employers with at least 21 workers, subject to the relevant eligibility requirements.

A collective agreement is an arrangement between an employer and a recognised trade union covering matters affecting employees represented by the union.

It may deal with pay, working hours, holidays, consultation arrangements and other terms or workplace procedures. Depending on the wording and employment contracts, collectively agreed terms may also become incorporated into individual employees’ contractual terms.

A bargaining unit is the group of workers represented by a recognised trade union for collective bargaining purposes.

The employer and union can agree the appropriate bargaining unit. Where statutory recognition proceedings are underway and agreement cannot be reached, the CAC may determine its composition.

The union must first make a qualifying written request to the employer. An employer generally has 10 working days to respond and can agree recognition, reject the request or agree to negotiate.

If recognition cannot be agreed, the union may apply to the CAC, provided the statutory requirements are met.

Review the recognition agreement, collective agreement and any established dispute procedure before taking action. Early dialogue can help identify whether the disagreement can be resolved through negotiation.

Depending on the circumstances, mediation or Acas assistance may also help. Where industrial action is threatened or formal CAC proceedings are underway, employers should seek advice promptly so that the legal and practical risks can be assessed.

What our Clients Say

See what our customers have to say about their experience

Review Solicitors Stars
5/5 350+Reviews
Steve Tatham
26/04/2026
Tom Evans provided an excellent service regarding my recent Voluntary Redundancy. Tom was friendly, knowledgeable and helpful in supporting the processing of the legal documentation around redundancy. Tom was very timely and managed our sessions well to ensure we didn’t overrun. I would highly recommend Tom and use him again if I needed legal support.
Ellie
27/10/2025
DTM’s employment department has dealt with a couple of matters on our behalf. They have dealt with all matters efficiently, providing clear advice on employment law, whilst also understanding the commercial aspects of suggested actions.
Mia
15/10/2023
They feel like an extension to our business. They fully understand our business inside and out and are very responsive and provide a huge level of support.

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