If the union is an independent union (i.e. has a certificate of independence issued by the Certification Officer) a number of legal rights follow. These include the right to:
- disclosure of information by the employer for collective bargaining purposes;
- reasonable paid time off for union reps to carry out union duties;
- reasonable paid time off for union learning reps (URLS) to carry out their duties;
- reasonable unpaid time off for members to carry out union activities;
- appoint a union safety rep;
- appoint safety committee representatives;
- consultation prior to redundancy; and
- consultation prior to business transfers.
There are Acas Codes of Practice on Disclosure of Information (PDF, 475KB) and Time Off for Union Duties (PDF, 930KB), which give more detail.
