The British Independent Retail Association (Bira) has responded to the UK government’s proposal to bring in a new policy requiring employers to inform workers of their right to join a trade union.
The consultation ran from 23 October 2025 to 18 December 2025.
It showed that in future, employers may be required to provide employees with a written statement about their rights to join a union; such statements could include details such as the names of recognised trade unions and a link to the government website.
The UK government is also considering whether the statement should be standardised and how frequently businesses should remind their workers.
In its response to the consultation, Bira recommended that the government should provide a standardised statement on its website to “minimise any unnecessary complexity”.
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The body also highlighted that employers should confirm any unions they formally recognise.
It added that forms should be able to include the statement in a staff handbook or employment contract for new workers and deliver it “directly or indirectly” to existing workers.
The body stated that an annual reminder would “create unnecessary administrative burden.”
Bira highlighted that if the requirement is introduced, it should apply “uniformly” across all sectors and sizes.
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