Firms forced to give staff ‘government approved’ advice on joining a union

Businesses will be forced to tell their staff how to join a union at least once a year under fresh plans drawn up by the government to boost participation in organised labour. The government has decided the fresh rules, due to come into force at the start of next year, will apply to employers of all sizes and sectors, despite a rearguard action from industry warning they will add significant bureaucracy to small and high-turnover businesses. According to ministers responses to the consultation, firms will be barred from drafting their own statements to staff, and will instead be forced to use government-approved wording about their right to join a trade union. Under the rules, business owners, including family businesses with just a few members of staff, will have to share the statement directly with new staff, before putting in place measures to remind them of their rights on an annual basis. Union rights statement will add significant bureaucracy The directive fo