Electronic and workplace balloting for industrial action
Implementation date: August 2026
The Employment Rights Act 2025 allows for the use of electronic and workplace balloting (rather than postal balloting) for industrial action.
The Government has published a draft Code of practice on electronic and workplace balloting for statutory union ballots.
Statutory trade union ballots includes ballots for:
- industrial action;
- political funds/resolutions;
- union elections; and
- union mergers.
The draft code was laid before Parliament on 22 June 2026, along with draft legislation to implement the changes (the Trade Unions (Permissible Means of Voting) and Employment Rights (Unfair Dismissal) (Amendment) Order 2026).
The measures are due to take effect in August 2026.
