Collective action in the United Kingdom

Collective action in the United Kingdom in UK labour law is the main support for collective bargaining. Although the right to strike (or "industrial action" traditionally) has attained the status, since 1906, of a fundamental human right, protected in domestic case law, statute, the European Convention on Human Rights and international law, the rules primarily codified in the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 have generated significant litigation. In order for a group of workers to take strike action, they must,

Contents

• History
• Right to strike
• Economic torts
• Secondary action and company groups
• Balloting
• Picketing
• Injunctions
• References

The consequence for breach of these rules is that a trade union will be liable for damages to the employer for the cost of the industrial action, and that an injunction may be issued against the industrial action going ahead. The rules on industrial action in the UK have been called the toughest in the Western World, and subject to heavy criticism from the International Labour Organisation and led to violations in the European Court of Human Rights.