At a Glance

• The Employment Rights Act 2025 creates a number of trade union reforms, which will require employers to take a more structured and proactive approach to industrial relations.
• The UK Government has been publishing responses to its consultations and draft regulations in anticipation of the upcoming reforms. This article provides an overview of the latest draft documents addressing upcoming changes.

The Employment Rights Act 2025 (“ERA 2025”) is reshaping industrial relations in the UK, with reforms representing the most radical transformation in decades. Following some early trade union reforms in February and April 2026, including measures aimed at simplifying the process for statutory recognition, further significant changes are due to take effect in August and October 2026 (see here for further information).

The Government has been busy publishing responses to its consultations and draft regulations in anticipation of the upcoming reforms. This update summarises the latest developments.

1. Draft Code of Practice on Electronic and Workplace Balloting

As part of the package of reforms, changes are due to be made to the way in which statutory trade union ballots may be conducted to allow electronic and workplace balloting to take place. This is set to be introduced from August 2026 for statutory trade union ballots and then sometime in 2027 for recognition and derecognition ballots.

A draft Code of Practice on Electronic and Workplace Balloting for Statutory...

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