The majority of the Trade Union Act 2016 is to come into force on 1 March 2017, including the new ballot requirements, changes to the required notice for industrial action and expiry of the mandate for industrial action. Further details of the Act can be found in our May 2016 briefing. Regulations have also been approved defining the "important public services" which are subject to the requirement for 40% support in ballots.

There is still no decision from the Government as to whether it intends to go ahead with the last government's proposal to remove the restriction on hiring agency staff during industrial action. A review into the possibility of electronic balloting is due by the end of the year.


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