List of trade unions in the United Kingdom

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.

Union confederations

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Independent unions

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

Name G.S. Est. Members Description Const. National Affiliation International Affiliation
App Drivers & Couriers Union James Farrar 2015 7,082[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 1880 24,479[3] ASLEF TUC, STUC Labour ITUC
Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union Sarah Woolley 1847 14,377[4] BFAWU TUC ITUC
British Air Line Pilots Association 1935 14,530[5] BALPA TUC ITUC
British Medical Association Mark Porter 1832 162,346[6] BMA
Communication Workers Union Dave Ward 1995 184,083[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 CBE 2004 43,865[8] TUC, STUC, Labour ITUC
Educational Institute of Scotland Andrea Bradley 1847 56,342[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 1930 46,683[10] Actors, Stage Managers, Dancers, Variety performers, Creative workers TUC, STUC ITUC
Fire Brigades Union 1918 33,743[11] FBU 2011 TUC, STUC, Labour ITUC
The FDA 1918 19,876[12] Managers and professionals in the public service TUC, STUC ITUC
GMB Gary Smith 1982 570,107[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 1944 3,137[14] HCSA TUC ITUC
Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain Henry Chango Lopez 2012 6,324[15] IWGB
Industrial Workers of the World 1905 3,515[16] IWW; Britain and Ireland region membership current
Musicians' Union 1893 31,951[17] MU 2009 TUC, STUC, Labour ITUC
National Association of Probation Officers 1912 5,242[18] NAPO TUC, GFTU ITUC
National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers Dr Patrick Roach 1976 296,964[19] NASUWT 2016 TUC, STUC ITUC
National Union of Journalists 1907 24,528[20] NUJ TUC, STUC ITUC
National Union of Mineworkers 1945 82 NUM 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 1990 81,197[21][22] RMT was formerly the National Union of Railwaymen and National Union of Seamen, and absorbed the Offshore Industry Liaison Committee. 2010 TUC, STUC ITUC, ITWF, WFTU
National Education Union Daniel Kebede 2017 445,601[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 1857 18,468[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 1939 31,204[25] POA TUC ITUC
Professional Footballers' Association 1907 5,457[26] PFA TUC, GFTU ITUC
Prospect Mike Clancy 2001 154,715[27] Engineering, scientific, management and professional staff. 2013 TUC, STUC ITUC, ITWF
Public and Commercial Services Union Fran Heathcote 1998 191,289[28] PCS 2012 TUC, STUC ITUC, ITWF
Royal College of Nursing Professor Nicola Ranger

(Acting)

1916 538,982[29] Represents workers in nursing 2012
Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists Steve Jamieson 1945 9,112[30] SCP TUC ITUC
Society of Radiographers 1920 33,250[31] SoR TUC, STUC ITUC
Transport Salaried Staffs' Association Maryam Eslamdoust 1897 18,142[32] TSSA 2011 TUC, STUC, Labour ITUC
Undeb Cenedlaethol Athrawon Cymru 1948 3,638[33] UCAC; National Union of Teachers of Wales TUC ITUC
Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers Paddy Lillis 1946 369,437[34] USDAW 2016 TUC, STUC, Labour ITUC
UNISON Christina McAnea 1993 1,210,250 [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 2007 1,246,429[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 2014 4,720[37] UVW ICL
University and College Union Jo Grady 2006 122,104[38] UCU; amalgam of the AUT and NATFHE. 2012 TUC ITUC
Voice 1970 19,711[39] Formerly the Professional Association of Teachers, it refuses to take strike action. GFTU
Writers' Guild of Great Britain Sandi Toksvig president 1959 2,860[40] WGGB TUC, GFTU ITUC

Other independent unions

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Scotland only

Northern Ireland only[41]

Non-independent unions

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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

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See also

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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

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  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. ^ a b "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

References

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  • E McGaughey, 'Democracy or Oligarchy? Models of Union Governance in the UK, Germany and US' (2017) ssrn.com
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