List of trade unions in the United Kingdom

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This is a list of trade unions in the United Kingdom formed under UK labour law. The criteria for being an independent trade union, free from employer influence and domination, are set out in the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 section 5. The body which oversees unions, and awards a certificate of independence for the purpose of collective bargaining is the Trades Union Certification Officer. For the context and history see Trade unions in the United Kingdom.

Contents

Union confederations

Independent unions

The following is a list of trade unions that are Certificated as independent by the Certification Officer, as of 14 July 2020. [1]

NameG.S.Est.MembersDescriptionConst.National AffiliationInternational Affiliation
App Drivers & Couriers Union James Farrar 20157,082 [2] The ADCU objective is to organise and represent all app based transport workers whose work is predominately digitally intermediated. IAATW
Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen Mick Whelan 188024,479 [3] ASLEF TUC, STUC Labour ITUC
Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union Sarah Woolley 184714,377 [4] BFAWU TUC ITUC
British Air Line Pilots Association 193514,530 [5] BALPA TUC ITUC
British Medical Association Mark Porter 1832162,346 [6] BMA
Communication Workers Union Dave Ward 1995184,083 [7] The CWU was formed from a merger of the UCW and the NCU. 2012 [ permanent dead link ] TUC, STUC Labour ITUC
Community Roy Rickhuss CBE200443,865 [8] TUC, STUC, Labour ITUC
Educational Institute of Scotland Andrea Bradley 184756,342 [9] The EIS represents teachers, college lecturers, university lecturers, instrumental music tutors, head teachers and educational psychologists working in Scotland. TUC, STUC ITUC
Equity Paul W. Fleming 193046,683 [10] Actors, Stage Managers, Dancers, Variety performers, Creative workers TUC, STUC ITUC
Fire Brigades Union 191833,743 [11] FBU 2011 TUC, STUC, Labour ITUC
The FDA 191819,876 [12] Managers and professionals in the public service TUC, STUC ITUC
GMB Gary Smith 1982570,107 [13] Formed from General, Municipal, Boilermakers and Allied Trade Union, as a general workers' union. It includes the International Union of Sex Workers as a branch. 2016 TUC, STUC, Labour ITUC
Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association 19443,137 [14] HCSA TUC ITUC
Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain Henry Chango Lopez20126,324 [15] IWGB
Industrial Workers of the World 19053,515 [16] IWW; Britain and Ireland region membership current
Musicians' Union 189331,951 [17] MU 2009 TUC, STUC, Labour ITUC
National Association of Probation Officers 19125,242 [18] NAPO TUC, GFTU ITUC
National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers Dr Patrick Roach1976296,964 [19] NASUWT 2016 TUC, STUC ITUC
National Union of Journalists 190724,528 [20] NUJ TUC, STUC ITUC
National Union of Mineworkers 194582NUM has very few members, given the dismantling of the industry after the UK miners' strike (1984–1985). TUC, Labour ITUC
National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers Mick Lynch 199081,197 [21] [22] RMT was formerly the National Union of Railwaymen and National Union of Seamen, and absorbed the Offshore Industry Liaison Committee. 2010 TUSC, TUC, STUC ITUC, ITWF, WFTU
National Education Union Kevin Courtney and Mary Bousted 2017445,601 [23] NEU, representing members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, is the product of the recent merger between NUT and ATL 2012 TUC ITUC
Nautilus International 185718,468 [24] A cross-border union for maritime professionals. Main offices are in London, Wallasey, Rotterdam and Basel. Previously known as NUMAST in the UK and FWZ in the Netherlands. TUC ITUC
The POA: Professional Trades Union for Prison, Correctional and Secure Psychiatric Workers 193931,204 [25] POA TUC ITUC
Professional Footballers' Association 19075,457 [26] PFA TUC, GFTU ITUC
Prospect Mike Clancy2001154,715 [27] Engineering, scientific, management and professional staff. 2013 TUC, STUC ITUC, ITWF
Public and Commercial Services Union Fran Heathcote 1998191,289 [28] PCS 2012 TUC, STUC ITUC, ITWF
Royal College of Nursing Professor Nicola Ranger

(Acting)

1916538,982 [29] Represents workers in nursing 2012
Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists Steve Jamieson 19459,112 [30] SCP TUC ITUC
Society of Radiographers 192033,250 [31] SoR TUC, STUC ITUC
Transport Salaried Staffs' Association Manuel Cortes 189718,142 [32] TSSA 2011 TUC, STUC, Labour ITUC
Undeb Cenedlaethol Athrawon Cymru 19483,638 [33] UCAC; National Union of Teachers of Wales TUC ITUC
Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers Paddy Lillis 1946369,437 [34] USDAW 2016 TUC, STUC, Labour ITUC
UNISON Christina McAnea 19931,210,250 [35] Formed from merging NALGO, NUPE and COHSE as a union for public services workers. 2016 TUC, STUC, Labour ITUC
Unite the Union Sharon Graham 20071,246,429 [36] Formed in 2007 by a merger between Amicus and TGWU. Amicus was formerly AEEU and Manufacturing Science and Finance and Graphical, Paper and Media Union and UNIFI. UCATT merged in 2017. 2015 TUC, STUC, Labour ITUC
United Voices of the World 20144,720 [37] UVW ICL
University and College Union Jo Grady 2006122,104 [38] UCU; amalgam of the AUT and NATFHE. 2012 TUC ITUC
Voice 197019,711 [39] Formerly the Professional Association of Teachers, it refuses to take strike action. GFTU
Writers' Guild of Great Britain Sandi Toksvig president19592,860 [40] WGGB TUC, GFTU ITUC

Other independent unions

Scotland only

Northern Ireland only [41]

Non-independent unions

The following is a list of trade unions that have not been certificated as independent by the Certification Officer 31 March 2017. [42]

Scotland only

Northern Ireland [41]

Historical unions

See also

Key - Asterisk after name = Trade unions known to the Certification Officer but not applying to be included in the list for 31 March 2014

Notes

  1. "Trade unions: the current list and schedule". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2022-02-22.
  2. "App Drivers and Couriers Union Form AR21 for year ended 31 December 2022" (PDF). GOV.UK. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  3. "Form AR21 Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 Annual Return for a Trade Union" (PDF). GOV.UK. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-07-26. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  4. "BAKERS, FOOD & ALLIED WORKERS Form AR21 for year ended 31 December 2023" (PDF). GOV.UK. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  5. "Form AR21 (Annual Return for a Trade Union): British Air Line Pilots Association" (PDF). GOV.UK . 26 July 2023.
  6. "British Medical Association Form AR21 for year ended 31 December 2021" (PDF). GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  7. "Annual Return for a Trade Union" (PDF). publishing.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  8. "Annual Return for a Trade Union" (PDF). publishing.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  9. "Annual Return for a Trade Union" (PDF). publishing.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  10. "Annual Return for a Trade Union" (PDF). publishing.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  11. "FBU: annual returns (PDF format)" (PDF). GOV.UK.
  12. "FDA: annual returns (PDF format)" (PDF). GOV.UK.
  13. "GMB Form AR21 for year ended 31st December 2022" (PDF). GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  14. "Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association Form AR21 for year ended 30 September 2022" (PDF). GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  15. Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB): annual returns UK Certification Officer.
  16. "Industrial Workers of the World - Form AR21" (PDF). GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  17. "Form AR21 Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 : Annual Return for a Trade Union" (PDF). Assetsd.publishing.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  18. "NAPO Form AR21 for year ended 31 December 2021" (PDF). GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  19. "NASUWT Form AR21 for year ended 31 December 2022" (PDF). GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  20. "National Union of Journalists Form AR21 for year ended 30 September 2022" (PDF). GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  21. "National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers: annual returns". gov.uk.
  22. "About us". Rmt.org.uk. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  23. "National Education Union Form AR21 for year ended 31 August 2022" (PDF). GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  24. "Nautilus International Form AR21 for year ended 31 December 2021" (PDF). GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  25. "POA Form AR21 for year ended 31 December 2021" (PDF). GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  26. "The Professional Footballers' Association Form AR21 for year ended 30 June 2022" (PDF). GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  27. "Prospect Annual Report 2022". Prospect. 2 June 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  28. "Public and Commercial Services Union Form AR21 for year ended 31 December 2022" (PDF). GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  29. "Royal College of Nursing Form AR21 for year ended 31 December 2022" (PDF). GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  30. "Annual Return for a Trade Union" (PDF). gov.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  31. "The Society of Radiographers Form AR21 for year ended 30 September 2022" (PDF). GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  32. "Form AR21: Transport Salaried Staffs' Association" (PDF). GOV.UK . 26 July 2023.
  33. "Form AR21 - Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 Annual Return for a Trade Union" (PDF). publishing.service.gov.uk. 2023.
  34. "Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers Form AR21 for year ended 31 December 2021" (PDF). GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  35. "UNISON Annual Report 2022—2023" (PDF). Unison. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  36. "Unite the Union Form AR21 for year ended 31 December 2020" (PDF). GOV.UK. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  37. United Voices of the World: annual returns UK Certification Officer.
  38. "Annual Return for a Trade Union" (PDF). gov.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  39. "Annual Return for a Trade Union" (PDF). publishing.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  40. "Annual Return for a Trade Union" (PDF). publishing.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  41. 1 2 "Northern Ireland Certification Officers Report 2012-13, Accessed 25 January 2015" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  42. Certification officers Annual Report for 2016-17, Accessed 25 July 2018

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References