The new government said in its manifesto that "Conservative legislation fuelled hostility and confrontation leading to the worst period of industrial relations since the 1980s."  Some may argue that the majority of such legislation was enacted in 1992 so therefore, others have had opportunity to change it.  It may also be argued that it is not the legislation that is the issue but the relationships that have built up over many years between trade unions and employers and that is what should be addressed.  Nevertheless, it is clear that industrial relations in the UK are having a difficult period.

With that in mind, employers may well worry about the government's manifesto promise to "create a partnership between business and trade unions".  Part of this will to be done by strengthening the collective voice of workers through trade unions.  It is difficult to know how these aims will be brought into being but from Labour's Plan to Make Work Pay we can see that it may involve making statutory recognition easier and granting more rights of access to the workplace for trade unions, including ensuring that employer's inform colleagues of their right to join a trade union.  Labour's plan also includes simplifying the balloting system and introducing electronic and workplace ballots, ensuring that the gig economy has meaningful right to organise through trade unions as well as repealing the Trade Union Act 2016 and the minimum service levels legislation and updating the rules on blacklisting.

What can employers do now?

As always with legislative change, the devil will be in the detail but employers can start taking steps now.  It would seem prudent to act now to assess the employee and industrial relations within the organisation and understand what is working and what is not:  

• Review any collective agreements to ensure they are fit for purpose and reflect the reality of the bargaining arrangements. 
• Consider any employee engagement platforms and/or campaigns to ensure that colleagues feel they have a voice. 
• Ensure that the stated organisational culture is feeding through to the shopfloor and being reinforced by management.
• Look inwards as to what the organisation may be able to do to seek to improve its relations with trade unions and have frank and open discussions about how you may be able to work together.

The instant reaction from many employers will be recoil at the government's comments in respect of industrial relations, which is understandable, but I would argue that it also presents an opportunity to try and reset industrial relations.  It may be that taking steps and decisions now to design and implement an industrial relations strategy that works for the organisation whilst giving employees a voice will, in years to come, appear a very prudent approach.