While the Employment Rights Act 2025 becoming law is a major victory for the union and for workers across Great Britain, it is vital that trade unions and activists prepare for the new regulations and understand how they will work to ensure members gain the full benefit. Northern Ireland members are waiting separately for the Good Jobs Bill from Stormont.
This legislation is one of the most significant expansions of workplace rights in decades. It strengthens protections against unfair dismissal, removes one-sided zero-hours contracts, improves sick pay and parental leave, and enhances trade union access and recognition. These changes didn’t happen by accident; they are the result of years of campaigning by UNISON and our sister unions.
But winning the law is only half the battle. Making the law a reality for members in the workplace is where the real challenge begins.
For the past year, UNISON has been examining how the new law will change the way we organise and support members, ensuring they receive the full benefit and that we are ready for each tranche as it’s implemented over the next two years.
This preparation will be led by our activists and branches. Without local readiness for these changes, we will not be able to support members effectively.
Key things for branches to start doing over the coming months
- Audit workplace policies and ask employers how they intend to comply with elements of the act – will it be discussed in normal joint meetings, or are they setting up new meetings to implement the law? For example, if workers are on zero-hour contracts, how are they going to comply with the new rules? This is especially important for Statutory Sick Pay changes, which come into force on 6 April 2026; request that employers bring forward these worker-friendly new rules before legal deadlines.
- Review access and recognition agreements, discuss with other local unions and raise any changes quickly with employers to ensure policies are updated to reflect the new regulations.
- Elect local equality officers, noting that facility time will be available from October 2026 if they complete the required training. Discuss how branch will allocate facility time appropriately, when the new regulations come in.
- Contact regional staff if you believe your employer faces specific challenges or is not planning to follow any part of the act.
- Ensure employers understand the increased trade union powers both on collective and individual rights, as soon as possible, and that they plan to involve unions earlier and more substantively as equal partners on matters such as pay.
- Update promotional and recruitment materials to reflect the new rules and to ensure members are aware of their new rights. You may want to do a local event on these also.
- Watch for employers exploiting the implementation period, e.g. using fire and rehire before it becomes an automatic unfair dismissal in October 2026.
- Identify targets for workplace access agreements away from your core employers and using the easier statutory recognition procedure. Consider Branch Support and Organising Fund (BSOF) bids to your region.
Key actions for activists and reps
- Spread the message to union and non-union members in your workplace that the new act UNISON fought for gives trade unions increased rights and workers improved working rights – and that now is the time to join and get active.
- Familiarise yourself with the new rules, including changes to unfair dismissal for January 2027 – by reading our full analysis.
- Ensure your email address is up to date with UNISON and that it’s in addition to a workplace email. It has to be a personal e-mail address, as this is essential for new e-balloting. And encourage all your members to do the same.
- Use new case forms when they become available.
- Keep an eye out for further updates online and in upcoming editions of Activist.
- Look out for our upcoming webinar training sessions on the Employment Rights Act 2025.
The Employment Rights Act is a gamechanger, but only if we make it a reality in every workplace. Many good employers will already be approaching you to start work on this; however, others may look to be as slow as possible to adapt, only bringing in the minimum and trying to do as little as possible to ensure people are aware of their new rights.
That is why branches and activists must lead the way: auditing policies, educating members, celebrating the success of this new act and holding employers to account.
By preparing now, we can ensure every member benefits from the rights we fought so hard to win, embedding them in every workplace as they are implemented over the next two years. Let us make sure the Employment Rights Act is not just words on paper, but a reality in all our workplaces.
Together, we can turn this law into lasting change.
See UNISON’s detailed guide to the Employment Rights Act 2025 and implementation timeline.
Go to the Employment Rights Act campaign page.
