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Waste Disposal: Industrial Disputes

Asked by Kevin HollinrakeConservativeDepartment for Business and TradeTabled Answered 29 April 2025UIN 45672

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the repeal of the Trade Union Act 2015 on (a) the likelihood of future industrial action in local authorities relating to the collection of household rubbish and (b) intimidation on municipal picket lines.

Answered by Justin Madders

The government published an impact assessment on the repeal of the Trade Union Act 2016 in October 2024. The Act places unnecessary red tape on trade union activity that works against their core role of negotiation and dispute resolution. As such, the government is substantively repealing it.

The repeal of the 2016 Act will not impact legislation that provides for picketing to lawfully take place. This picketing must be peaceful and those on picket lines must not intimidate workers who attend work. The Code of Practice on Picketing will also continue to remain in effect.

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