Have your say
The UK Government has launched four major consultations under the Employment Rights Bill, and they’re set to close between December 2025 and January 2026. These proposals could bring significant changes to how engineering businesses operate, especially in HR, compliance, and employee relations. For Scottish Engineering members, this is a critical moment to engage, influence, and prepare.
We’re writing this on behalf of our members, not just to inform, but to advocate. These consultations are your opportunity to shape legislation before it starts becoming law in April 2026. We know how fast-paced and complex engineering environments can be, and we want to ensure that any new obligations are workable, proportionate, and reflect the realities of our sector.
So, what’s being proposed? In summary:
Trade Union Access to Workplaces
Unions could gain a statutory right to access workplaces—physically and digitally—to meet, support, and organise workers. This would be a major shift in how employers manage union relationships, especially in non-unionised environments.
Duty to Inform Workers of Union Rights
Employers may be required to provide written statements informing workers of their right to join a union—not just at the start of employment, but potentially on a recurring basis. This raises practical questions about format, frequency, and delivery.
Enhanced Protections for Pregnant Workers and New Mothers
The proposals would make it unlawful to dismiss pregnant employees or new mothers for six months after returning from maternity leave, except in very limited circumstances. This will require careful policy updates and training to ensure compliance.
Bereavement Leave Including Pregnancy Loss
A new day-one right to unpaid bereavement leave is proposed, including for pregnancy loss 24 weeks. This is a sensitive area, and it also introduces new considerations around eligibility, notice, and evidence.
These consultations are not just about compliance but represent some fairly fundamental reforms to employment law. They must be shaped with input from those who will implement them to ensure they are workable. That’s why we’re encouraging all members to review the proposals, share your views, and volunteer to support our sector-wide response.
We’ll be submitting feedback on behalf of Scottish Engineering, but we want that response to reflect the diversity and depth of our membership. Whether you’re an HR professional, a business leader, or someone with lived experience of these issues, your perspective is vital.
Consultation Deadlines
- Trade union access & duty to inform: 18 December 2025
- Pregnancy protection & bereavement leave: 15 January 2026
Let’s make sure engineering voices are heard. If you’d like to contribute, join our working group, or simply talk through the implications, please get in touch by 21 November 2025, as the turnaround time for submitting responses to the consultations is tight.
Please contact the following for further information on the consultations or see the below links for each of the consultations.
Trade Union Access & Duty to inform: [email protected]
Make Work Pay: duty to inform workers of right to join a union – GOV.UK
Make Work Pay: trade union right of access – GOV.UK
Bereavement Leave: [email protected]
Make Work Pay: leave for bereavement including pregnancy loss – GOV.UK
Pregnancy Protections: [email protected] or [email protected]
Make Work Pay: enhanced dismissal protections for pregnant women and new mothers – GOV.UK
Together, we can help shape legislation that works, not just in theory, but in practice.
