UK Government to Ease Strike Ballot Rules for Unions

The UK government will remove the 50 per cent turnout requirement for strike ballots under the Employment Rights Act 2025. Ministers are expected to implement the change this year. The National Education Union failed to meet the threshold in a recent indicative ballot but is preparing a formal vote. The union has increased local strike activity, with ballots rising from 51 in 2019 to 229 in 2025.

Teachers at one school in the London Borough of Waltham Forest have taken 45 days of strike action since 2022. The school has changed head teachers four times since 2019 and seen falling enrollment. Parents at affected schools have paid for private tutoring to keep children from falling behind. The union is also recruiting among support staff and adding industrial organizers.

1984 and 1987, rolling teachers' strikes caused widespread school closures and lost instructional time. Legislation under Margaret Thatcher's government later restricted union bargaining rights over pay. The Employment Rights Act 2025 introduced new union protections. Officials have not stated how the prime minister will address any resulting service disruptions.