Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992
Last amended by Trade Union Act 2016 in 2016. Introduced a 50% turnout threshold for industrial-action ballots, an additional 40% support requirement in important public services, and new rules on ballot information and the duration of mandates.
Independent editorial summary — not the official statute text. Read the official version on legislation.gov.uk.
Summary
The Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 is the principal statute governing trade unions, employers' associations, collective bargaining, and industrial action in Great Britain. As a consolidation Act it draws together decades of earlier legislation. It defines what a trade union is and regulates its status, administration, elections, and political funds (Part I); protects individuals against discrimination and dismissal on trade union grounds (Part III); governs collective bargaining and the duty to consult on collective redundancies and transfers (Part IV); and sets out the framework for lawful industrial action — the statutory immunity from tort liability for acts done in contemplation or furtherance of a trade dispute, the rules on peaceful picketing, and the requirement to hold a properly conducted ballot before calling a strike (Part V).
Key Points
- Defines a 'trade union' (s.1) and provides for the list of trade unions kept by the Certification Officer (s.2)
- Protects workers from detriment (s.146) and dismissal (s.152) on grounds of trade union membership or activities
- Governs collective agreements (s.178) and imposes a duty to consult on collective redundancies (s.188)
- Confers statutory immunity from certain tort liabilities for acts done in contemplation or furtherance of a trade dispute (s.219)
- Protects peaceful picketing at or near a worker's own place of work (s.220)
- Requires a properly conducted secret ballot in support of industrial action before a union loses its immunity (s.226 onwards)
Parts & Sections
Amendments History
2016 — Trade Union Act 2016
Introduced a 50% turnout threshold for industrial-action ballots, an additional 40% support requirement in important public services, and new rules on ballot information and the duration of mandates.
1999 — Employment Relations Act 1999
Inserted Schedule A1, creating the statutory procedure by which a union can obtain compulsory recognition for collective bargaining.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992?
- The Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 is the main law governing trade unions, employers' associations, collective bargaining, and industrial action in Great Britain. It consolidates earlier legislation and covers union status, worker protections, collective agreements, and the legal framework for lawful industrial action, including picketing and strike ballots.
- Can I be fired or treated badly for joining a trade union?
- Section 146 protects workers from being subjected to a detriment by their employer for being, or proposing to become, a union member or taking part in union activities. Section 152 makes dismissal automatically unfair if the reason is the employee's trade union membership or participation in trade union activities.
- Is peaceful picketing allowed under the Act?
- Section 220 makes it lawful for a person to picket peacefully at or near their own place of work. The purpose must be to peacefully obtain or communicate information or to persuade a person to work or not to work. This protection applies specifically to peaceful picketing at or near the worker's own workplace.