In April, the UK Government announced the arrival of the Carr Review – an independent review into the law governing industrial disputes. The review, to be led by Bruce Carr QC, was supposed to investigate extreme ‘leverage tactics’ and examine whether or not the law in its current form provides adequate protection against intimidation and abuse.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has held that statutory restrictions on the right to strike in the UK do not infringe the right to freedom of association under Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Despite the historical decline in membership levels, trade unions are still a valuable and powerful force in today's workplaces according to a new paper commissioned by Acas.