Tensions rising | Employers fear era of 'unstable' worker relations amid new union rights

New CIPD research shows strong employer concerns over measures in the Employment Rights Bill designed to make it easier for trade unions to take industrial action.

It’s latest report UK industrial relations: A future with trade unions is published as the Employment Rights Bill is poised to receive Royal Assent. It also comes ahead of consultations on new powers for trade unions which are still to be finalised in secondary legislation. 

The CIPD’s report surveyed more than 2,000 employers. It explores the extent to which workplaces are unionised, how employers perceive the future of industrial relations and their views on key Employment Rights Bill reforms around trade union rights. It found that more than half of employers (56%) believe working in partnership with trade unions can be beneficial to organisations and 79% describe relations between managers and employees as ‘very good/good’ and just 5% as ‘poor/very poor’.

However, 62% of respondents agree that the UK is entering a new, more unstable period of employee relations, up from 53% in 2022*. Over half (54%) expect levels of industrial action to rise over the next 12 months, and more than two in three (69%) believe unions still have the power to cause major problems for the UK economy.