The law

Members of an independent trade union recognised by the employer must be permitted time off during working hours to carry out the activities of a health and safety representative, under the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977 (SRSCR). Recognised trade unions can at any time invoke their right to appoint safety reps, who must usually be employees, except where appointed by the actors’ union Equity or the Musicians’ union.

A union-appointed safety rep may represent:

• only their own members;

• all the employees in a particular category; or

• employees who are not members of a trade union recognised by the employer, but are part of a group of employees for which a union is recognised.

Although safety reps’ rights stem from laws on health and safety rather than labour relations, the Trade Union Act 2016 counts their paid time off work towards the “cost” of public sector facility time.