Trade unions are organisations who represent people at work - their members - and who aim to negotiate on behalf of those members with employers to secure better terms and conditions. They aim both to protect and improve the pay and conditions to which workers are subject whilst campaigning to influence the legislation to which their members are subject. Many also provide their members with legal and other similar advice, benefits such as sickness and holiday facilities, representation in disciplinary proceedings and education.

If you are an employee who is a member of a trade union recognised by your employer then you will have certain statutory rights in relation to to taking a reasonable amount of time off work for the performance of union related activities and duties.

Industrial action is most likely to arise when a workplace dispute is unable to be resolved through negotiation and generally takes ones of three forms a strike, action short of a strike (such as a go slow) or a lock-out. Involvement in industrial action constitutes a prima facie breach of contract and thus anyone intending to become involved in it should look carefully at the law and consider their actions before doing so.