Yes, you have the legal right to join a trade union by yourself in the UK. Your employer cannot prevent you from joining a union, or dismiss/discriminate against you for being a member. You do not have to tell your employer that you have joined a union.
FACT: Anybody has the right to join a union regardless of whether their employer formally recognises trade unions or a union organises within their workplace. When you sign up you should be given information about which branch you belong to (this could be for a local area if there's not one in your workplace).
We commonly get asked “I have a problem at work. Can I join a union today and get help immediately?” and the short answer is no, we cannot support members for issues that pre-date your join date, even if an issue occurred minutes before joining.
These technicians earn some of the highest wages among skilled trades due to the job's technical complexity, strict safety requirements, and strong union representation.
To begin with, according to a study by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2024, unionized workers in the United States, thanks to the wages they bargained for in their contracts, make on average 17.5% more than their non-unionized counterparts. That number alone shows that union membership is worth the cost.
Your employer is not allowed to dismiss you or choose you for redundancy because you: are or want to be a union member. are not or do not want to be a union member. took part or wanted to take part in union activities.
How long after joining a union can I get help Unite?
How long after joining Unite can I get help? Legal services for personal injury claims are available immediately upon joining the union; eligibility for a free will is 13 weeks full paying membership; for all other legal services, four weeks' full membership is required.
Trade unions are independent of your employer and the Government and you are allowed to join a union by law. You do not have to tell your employer if you are a union member.
non-union proponents. Pro-union employees hope collective bargaining will yield better wages and working conditions. Anti-union employees are wary of creating workplace tension, giving up control of their own decisions to the union, and the requirement to pay dues.
Workers are also protected for engaging in trade union activities. Union membership is 100% confidential, so you employer will never know you are a union member unless you want them to.
We respect the right for employees to join a trade union (without any fear of victimisation or discrimination) and the principle of freedom of association and where our employees are represented by a legally recognised trade union, we respect the principle of collective bargaining.
The strongest union in the UK by membership size is UNISON, representing over 1.3 million public service workers in sectors like the NHS, education, and local government, making it the country's largest trade union. While "strongest" can also mean influence, UNISON's vast membership provides significant collective bargaining power and a broad base for campaigning.
You have a legal right to join a union. It's illegal for an employer to disadvantage you because you are a union member. Some unions may have restrictions on who can join. This is usually because they represent people in specialist jobs.
Unions make sure you're treated fairly – without you having to worry about paying for legal support. Whether the problem is with employment contracts, harassment, redundancy, pensions or discrimination - your union will be there to help you.
Currently, someone must have worked for their employer for 2 years before claiming unfair dismissal. This will happen in January 2027. Protection from unfair dismissal was previously expected to become a right from the first day of employment. The government changed this before the Bill became law.
It is up to you who you choose as your companion, so long as they are either a trade union official or a fellow worker. Your employer cannot refuse your choice of representative.
Once you have joined UNISON and are a member, for the first 4 weeks of your membership you can access one session of union advice up to a maximum of half an hour in length, by telephone or email.
