Procedural hurdles around organising industrial action are being eased under Employment Rights Act reforms taking effect next week.

A series of changes to trade union regulations will come into force on 18th February 2026, marking the first phase of the 2025 Act. The reforms repeal large sections of the Trade Union Act 2016, making it more straightforward for unions to initiate industrial action.

They also cut the required strike notice period from 14 days to 10 and scrap the 40 percent support threshold in ballot results across six public service sectors: Fire, Health, Education, Transport, Border Security, and Nuclear Decommissioning.