Our industrial relations team advises in union and employer disputes

Our industrial relations team works with employers across a number of different sectors in relation to their trade union relationships. Our in-depth understanding of trade unions, together with the importance of maintaining good relationships with unions, places us in the unique position of being able to advise our clients on how to manage and improve their relationships with their unions. 

We can help them to avoid discussions and any disagreements turning into full scale disputes.  Where disputes do occur, we are experienced in assisting in their resolution.

Our employment lawyers regularly advise clients on a wide range of trade union related matters, including trade union recognition and drawing up recognition and collective bargaining agreements. We help clients to manage collective consultation, whether in relation to TUPE or to collective redundancies. 

Our Industrial Relations Work

  • All
  • UK & Europe
  • Advising Unions in redundancy and TUPE transfers

    Advising on consultation with unions in redundancy and TUPE transfer situations where industrial action is threatened

    Allegations of failure to consult on a change programme

    Advising a company in the UK in relation to a high value claim brought by a trade union for a failure to inform and consult appropriately around a change programme.

    Establishing internal employee consultation structures

    Advising clients in establishing internal employee consultation structures (both with and without unions)

    Legal options of balloting and strike action

    Advising on legal options around, and the legality, of balloting and any calls for strike action (and working in relation to any industrial action being called off)

    Long running Unite Employment Tribunal case

    Advising on a long-running employment tribunal case brought by a trade union Unite, relating to collective consultation and protective award proceedings

    Pre-litigation equal pay case and Trade Union negotiations

    Advising a plc on a substantial pre-litigation equal pay case with over 600 potential claimants, which included undertaking an equal pay review, reporting on liability and quantum, negotiating with the trade union and co-ordinating with an equal pay expert and Counsel.

    Request for registration as a leviable establishment

    Working with an industrial services company in the UK in relation to a request from a training board for its registration as a leviable establishment.

    Resolution of dispute and avoiding industrial action

    Working with an international company in relation to the management of its relationship with its recognised unions, and the management of a dispute and avoidance of industrial action

    Resolving disputes via ACAS and other processes

    Advising clients in dispute situations as to how to resolve existing disputes via ACAS and other processes

    Trade Union rule book revisions

    Assisted in drafting rule books revisions for 2 major trade unions

  • Aircraft Charter Agreements

    Advising numerous operators regarding aircraft charter, wet lease and dry lease agreements

    United Kingdom

    Airport operator issues

    Acting for a London airport operator regarding slots, ground handling issues and charging regulations

    United Kingdom

    Airport Operators

    Advising airport operators regarding slots, airport charges, groundhandling, liability and international standards, emergency planning;

    United Kingdom

    Airworthiness and Type Design

    Advice regarding airworthiness and type design compliance demonstration and certification for civil and military platforms

    United Kingdom

    EU External Aviation Relations

    Advising various airlines, investors and the European Commission regarding EU external relations, horizontal agreements, open skies agreements and bilateral air services agreements; Advising a non-EU airline and its government in its negotiations with the European Commission on an EU horizontal agreement

    United Kingdom

    Flybe Slots Sale

    Advising on more than 50 slot sales, purchases and other transactions, including acting for Flybe in the sale of its slot portfolio at Gatwick to easyJet, and acting for British Airways in the landmark High Court case which confirmed that slots may be traded.

    United Kingdom

    Hazardous Goods

    Advising stakeholders on the carriage of hazardous goods by air and land; advising carrier regarding handling of mercury spillage

    United Kingdom

    Regulatory Advice

    Advising numerous airlines and other stakeholders on aviation regulatory issues including EU nationality of ownership and control rules,  EU ETS, air passenger rights (including under Regulation (EC) 261/2004), ATOL and package travel rules, Air Passenger Duty, passengers with reduced mobility, the carriage on unaccompanied minors, airline licencing and operating permits, security and counter-terrorism for civil aviation. Advising on web based selling and price transparency rules.

    United Kingdom

    Unmanned Aircraft Systems

    Advising UAS operator regarding access to airspace, airworthiness and radio spectrum usage; advising European Commission on liability and insurance aspects of a UAS study

    United Kingdom

Our Industrial Relations team

Ahmed Alhudaithi
Ahmed Alhudaithi

Partner

Christian Alvarado
Christian Alvarado

Partner

Lynsey Barrow
Lynsey Barrow

Partner

Thomas Choo
Thomas Choo

Managing Partner

Robert Hill
Robert Hill

Partner

Gloria Jones
Gloria Jones

Consultant

Sara Khoja
Sara Khoja

Partner

Akua Kwarteng
Akua Kwarteng

Partner

Graham Mitchell
Graham Mitchell

Partner

Frances Ross
Frances Ross

Partner

Aliko Simon
Aliko Simon

Partner

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