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 officials 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.