Employers will need to rethink people strategies and organisational design in light of upcoming reforms, says Kate Dodsworth
Over the course of 2026, public sector employers will have to juggle additional legal duties alongside higher service delivery obligations, responsible adoption of artificial intelligence and increased union engagement. With major reforms set to come into force under the Employment Rights Act 2025, quick adaptation will be needed.
Changes to industrial relations law will present new challenges for public sector employers, especially those with high union activity.
From February 2026, it will be easier for trade unions to take industrial action, with changes making the balloting process simpler, reducing notice requirements to 10 days and increasing the mandate period for taking industrial action to 12 months.
From April, changes to the statutory recognition process will make it simpler for trade unions to seek recognition. And from October, the requirement to agree access arrangements with trade unions and to provide all employees with written notice of their right to join a trade union will increase the visibility – and likely the membership – of trade unions in the workplace.
In combination, these reforms will strengthen trade union presence, potentially leading to more protracted collective bargaining processes and increased threats of industrial action. Public sector employers should review current agreements with any...
WANA (Mar 11) – Seyed Abbas Araghchi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, said in a message that the claim that Iran intended to attack the United States or American forces is a ...