For Usdaw members, these changes mark an important step forward in strengthening protections, improving their lives and restoring fairness at work.
Given its size and scope, the Act is being implemented in stages, over the next two years. The latest changes take effect his week and will lift many of the sanctions imposed by the previous Conservative government.
From Wednesday, the ERA introduces several important reforms that strengthen trade union rights and remove many restrictions brought in over the last decade. These include:
Industrial Action
- Notice for taking industrial action reduced from 14 days to 10
- Strike ballots now valid for 12 months
- Simpler rules for industrial action notices
- Removal of picketing restrictions
- Union Political Rights and Regulation
Most of the Trade Union Act 2016 repealed
- Stronger protection against dismissal during lawful industrial action
- Removal of the 10‑year political fund ballot requirement
- Automatic opt‑in reinstated for political fund contributions, with an opt‑out option
- Reduced powers for the Certification Officer and removal of the levy from April
- Usdaw welcomes these reforms, which improve workplace balance and help unions represent members more effectively.
Day‑One Family Rights
From this week, workers who will soon qualify for day‑one paternity leave and day‑one unpaid parental leave (fully implemented on 6 April) can now start giving notice.
Usdaw general secretary Joanne Thomas says: “I am delighted that after years of campaigning, the Employment Rights Act is today delivering a tranche of improvements that will scrap the draconian Tory laws, which were deliberately designed to tie trade unions up in knots. Day-one family rights will particularly benefit workers in sectors where insecure contracts or short service often prevent access to basic family‑related rights. The next phase of ERA reforms will arrive in April, including improvements to Statutory Sick Pay and reforms to zero-hours contracts. Usdaw will continue pressing for these reforms to be implemented in full and without delay.”
Notes for editors:
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is one of the fastest growing unions in the TUC and the UK's fifth biggest with around 370,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also represents many workers in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemical industry and other trades www.usdaw.org.uk
For Usdaw press releases visit: www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Bluesky @usdawunion.bsky.social and Twitter/X @UsdawUnion