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Permanent trade union staff

Many trade unions employ paid staff to act as representatives (reps) for employees in the workplace. They often work closely with lay reps (eg shop stewards and other workplace reps) and can provide advice to these.

Some trade union paid staff visit employers to attend meetings such as disciplinary hearings or pay negotiations. They are often known as full-time officers (FTOs) to separate them from workplace reps.

Lay trade union reps

Some trade union workplace reps have the legal right to:

• receive a reasonable amount of paid time off for their duties
• be trained by their trade union to perform their duties.

The right only applies where an employer recognises their trade union in the workplace.

These reps include:

• shop stewards, convenors and branch secretaries who are engaged in collective bargaining, accompanying members to personal hearings, or consulting about collective bargaining, business transfers or changes to company pensions
• trade union learning reps, who promote lifelong learning and access to training courses for trade union members
• health and safety reps, who promote safe working practices and address workers’ concerns over safety, and are also entitled to use office equipment and other workplace facilities in their work.

Not all trade union reps are entitled to paid time off, for example:

• equality reps, who promote good practice and diversity
• environmental reps, who promote issues relating to the environment (eg low-carbon practices, waste disposal and recycling)

Some employers may have voluntary arrangements with trade unions to allow time off for these reps.

• Health and safety representatives

Talking to a trade union rep

The rep you need to talk to about something at work depends on the number of reps at your workplace. Sometimes, there may only be one rep and they may have a number of roles for the trade union.

If there are several reps, you need to try to find the most appropriate one. For example, if you have a concern about your health and safety, you need to talk to the health and safety rep. If you aren’t sure who the most appropriate rep is, generally you need to approach the most senior trade union rep at your site, and that person should be able to direct you.

There may also be no trade union rep at your workplace, even though your trade union is recognised by the employer. In that case you may need to talk to a lay rep at another workplace or to a FTO of your trade union.

Useful contacts

• Acas (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service)

• Citizens Advice Bureau

• Community Legal Advice