Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992

Chapter II, sections 10 to 23, elaborates on the legal status of trade unions and their rights and duties in possessing property and being sued in court.

Section 186 states that a trade union recognition requirement in a contract for the supply of goods or services is void.

This clause was added to the bill in the House of Lords in response to local authority practices, specifically in East Kilbride District Council, obliging their contractors to recognise and negotiate with trade unions.

Chapters III and IV, sections 199 to 218, set out the functions of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) and its power to issue codes of practice.

These rules are interpreted in accordance with the European Convention on Human Rights article 11 which protects the freedom of association, which is itself inspired by the predecessors to TULRCA 1992 in the United Kingdom.

Sections 226 to 235 contain the requirements of a union to conduct a ballot and give notice to the employer of any industrial action that is agreed upon.

The vote must be equal,[5] there must be separate ballots for each workplace establishment[6] and the question put to members about industrial action must be framed in a simple "yes" or "no" fashion.

[7] Moreover, section 229(4) requires the union to tell the workforce that any industrial action potentially infringes their contracts of employment, but also that they will be protected by unfair dismissal law.

The ballot only gives four weeks' to the union to take action, though this period may be extended with the employers' consent, which is common if collective negotiations are ongoing.

[11] If all else has failed, then for industrial action to commence the union must under section 234A(4) give at least seven days notice, accompanied with details of the workers to take part.

Part VI, sections 247 to 272, contain administrative provisions relating to ACAS and the Central Arbitration Committee.

ACAS is the primary arbitration service for disputes in UK workplaces.