Introduction to Working with Trade Unions - Recognition, Engagement & Positive Day‑to‑Day Relations
A practical, confidence‑building foundation for managers and HR professionals who need to understand union roles, recognition, consultation, early‑warning signs and constructive day‑to‑day engagement under the Employment Rights Act 2025.
Description
Are you ready for the most significant shift in union rights in a generation?
The Employment Rights Act 2025 hands trade unions new powers on access, balloting, and member protections. Union membership is rising. Disputes are increasing. And HR professionals are telling us they feel under-equipped, lacking the confidence and knowledge to manage union relations before they escalate into something far more costly.
The solution: This course equips delegates with the foundational knowledge, legal grounding, and practical skills to engage constructively with trade unions from day one, building productive relationships, avoiding unnecessary conflict, and responding confidently when issues arise.
What you'll take away:
- A clear understanding of union roles, rights, and the recognition framework.
- Practical tools for managing consultation, negotiation, and collective bargaining.
- Confidence to spot early-warning signs and intervene before conflict escalates.
- Knowledge of the Employment Rights Act 2025 and what it means in practice.
- Scenario-based skills for handling disputes, grievances, and difficult conversations.
Why attend now:
The Employment Rights Act 2025 is already in force, and unions are actively testing its new provisions. Employers who lack the foundations on recognition, consultation, and engagement are the most exposed. This course builds the capability your team needs before a dispute arrives at your door.
Agenda
09:30 - 09:45 | Welcome and “demystifying union relations”
- Why union involvement can feel daunting; what “good looks like” by the end of the day
- Icebreaker: “One thing I wish I knew before a rep meeting”
- Confidence slider poll to baseline the group
- Personal learning goals; shared expectations
09:45 - 10:45 | Recognition routes and triggers explained simply; consultation duties; manager do’s and don’ts; when to involve HR
- Documentation basics: notes, actions, accuracy, distribution
- Quick poll on where confidence is lowest (recognition, consultation, documentation)
- Micro‑exercise: draft a 6‑line contemporaneous note from a short mock conversation; group review against the template
- Mini‑quiz to confirm ERA 2025 essentials
- Recognition/consultation quick‑guide; meeting‑note template
10:45 - 11:00 | Comfort break
11:00 - 12:00 | The escalation ladder explained simply
- Roles and hand‑offs: steward → branch → regional → national; what keeps issues “local”
- External organiser presence: signals and safe first steps
- Path‑mapping exercise: track a typical issue from individual to collective; decide when to escalate to HR
- Short poll: confidence to keep matters at the appropriate level
- Escalation flowchart tailored to your context
12:00 - 12:45 | Lunch
12:45 - 13:45 | Early warning signs and common manager pitfalls
- Behavioural, social and documentation indicators of early organising; how small missteps escalate disputes
- Group case: apply the Early Warning Signs Checklist to a fictional team and decide whether/how to escalate; brief HR in two minutes
- Mini‑quiz on “do/don’t” scenarios to reinforce boundaries and legality
- Completed checklist for the case; manager quick‑reference card
13:45 - 14:30 | Communication that builds trust
- Calm, professional tone; boundary‑setting; reframing; end‑to‑end structure of a constructive rep meeting
- EAR as a support mechanism to reduce defensiveness (kept simple)
- Paired role‑play: 5‑minute rep meeting using scripts; observers give feedback on tone, boundaries and documentation discipline
- Confidence slider poll re‑run to show improvement
- Conversation scripts; agenda template; documentation flow outline
14:30 - 14:45 | Comfort break
14:45 - 15:30 | Foundation scenario lab
- Scenario A: “We’d like a representative present”—what it means and how to respond
- Scenario B: “We’re now speaking collectively”—managing the shift; documenting precisely
- Scenario C: External organiser sighting—immediate steps; manager do’s/don’ts
- Optional Scenario D: Social‑media noise—holding statements; when to escalate to HR Comms
- Triads rotate roles (manager, rep, observer) using a feedback rubric; live debrief surfaces strong phrases and good notes
- Scenario crib‑sheets for on‑the‑job practice
15:30 - 16:00 | Knowledge check and personal action plan
- Recap: recognition/consultation basics; escalation ladder; early warnings; meeting discipline
- Quiz to consolidate learning
- Guided action planning: three actions this week and three in the next 30 days
- Personal action plan; signposting to optional post‑course Q&A clinic
What delegates receive:
Recognition/consultation quick‑guide; early‑warning checklist; manager quick‑reference; conversation scripts; documentation templates; scenario cards and observer rubric.
Who the Course is For
• New or apprehensive managers
• Supervisors, team leaders and first‑line leaders
• Early-career HR and those with limited union experience or no previous training.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Confidently explain union structures and day‑to‑day union practice, removing complexity and building clarity for managers.
- Use a manager quick‑reference card, early‑warning checklist, and documentation template to ensure consistent, compliant handling of issues.
- Apply EAR scripts and conversation frameworks to manage difficult discussions with confidence and professionalism under pressure.
- Clearly articulate the principles of recognition and consultation, ensuring accurate, confident engagement with union reps.
- Navigate escalation pathways appropriately, keeping matters at the correct level and maintaining constructive relationships.
- Identify early organising signals and respond lawfully, proportionately, and in a way that reduces risk.
- Run constructive meetings using EAR and practical scripts, keeping conversations productive, respectful, and on track.
- Document all interactions defensibly and consistently, creating a reliable audit trail that stands up to scrutiny.
FAQs
What does BFI specialise in?
BFI provides expert-led training in HR compliance, employment law, immigration for employers, union relations, workplace inclusion, and AI and talent solutions.
Who typically attends your courses?
Attendees include HR managers, legal teams, compliance officers, operations leaders, and public sector employers.
Are your trainers practitioners?
Yes. All trainers are experienced specialists; we feature practitioners from the public and private sectors as well as lawyers, policy advisers, former regulators, and consultants.
How do I book a course?
Choose an event on the website and click Register. You can pay online with a credit card or request an invoice.
Do you accept purchase orders?
Yes. Public and private-sector organisations may use PO numbers. These can be added during the registration process, or can be retrospectively added to am invoice if the place has been booked already.
We need to set you up as a Supplier, can you complete a form or send me over your company information?
Yes, we can do either; please contact us via info@bfi.co.uk
Can I get a PO number added to our invoice?
Yes, please send details through to info@bfi.co.uk or reply to us using your confirmation email
Do you offer group discounts?
Yes. Discounts for multiple bookings are automatically applied at checkout. For groups of over ten, it may be more cost-effective to run the course in-house. Call 01983 861133 for details
Can I transfer my place to another date or colleague?
Yes. Substitutions are free, and transfers are typically allowed within a set timeframe.
What is your cancellation policy?
BFI follows standard UK training-industry cancellation terms.
How are online courses delivered?
Training is delivered live via Zoom with interactive Q\&A and case-based discussion.
Will I receive slides and supporting materials?
Yes. Attendees receive slides, templates (where relevant), and many other useful documents and links.
Will I receive a copy of the event recording?
Our monthly subscription and webinar clients receive recordings of the live sessions; otherwise we do not record our courses to encourage confidential discussion and questions under the Chatham House Rule
What time zone are online events delivered in?
All events are delivered in UTC / London time unless otherwise stated
What is included in in-person events?
Full-day training includes refreshments, full documentation which is emailed prior to the event and networking opportunities.
Are your venues accessible?
Yes. All venues are fully accessible.
Are your courses CPD-certified?
Many courses are accredited by The CPD Certification Service.
Can I ask questions about my organisation’s situation?
Yes. Trainers answer questions during the session and can respond afterward.
Will the training help us prepare for an audit?
Yes, on our audit courses you will learn what triggers visits, what officers look for, and how to evidence compliance.
Will I receive a certificate?
Yes. All attendees receive a digital certificate of course completion.
Do you offer private or in-house training?
Yes. All courses can be tailored for your team. Visit https://bfi.co.uk/team-training/
Do you offer consultancy?
Yes. BFI offers policy reviews, audit preparation, HR compliance support, and workforce advisory services.
What our delegates say
"Great workshop which left me with a much better insight into some of the legalities around working with Trade Unions." Lanes Group
"It was a really helpful day, and I appreciated different speakers focusing on different angles on this theme. I made lots of notes and putting some of it into action will be very useful for my organisation and partnership working in future." University of Sheffield Students Union
"Really interesting session, and very informative. Information provided was really useful, the exercises were good. Situations given were very real and great conversation throughout the group." Smurfit Westrock