Overview
- The consultation outlines a statutory right for union officials to enter workplaces weekly, including via physical or digital visits.
- Employers would have five working days to respond to access requests, followed by roughly a 15‑day negotiation window, with approvals lasting up to two years.
- The proposals suggest excluding firms with fewer than 21 workers, applying the regime to businesses with 21 or more staff.
- Enforcement options would empower the Central Arbitration Committee to set penalties, with fines up to £75,000 and, according to one report, up to £150,000 for repeat breaches, potentially scaled by employer size.
- The measures form part of the Employment Rights Bill and remain under consultation, with opposition figures condemning the plan and the TUC urging the government to remove any fines cap.