The UK Employment Rights Act introduces significant changes to individual employment rights and the country’s industrial relations framework. With key trade union provisions taking effect on October 30 and further reforms expected in 2027, employers should begin assessing the practical implications for workforce planning, employee relations, policies, and manager practices.
Join David Hopper, Partner at Lewis Silkin, for a practical discussion moderated by Lisa Salas, Director of European Affairs at CHRO Association.
Topics Covered
- 01 The new trade union environment: Expanded union access to workplaces and workers, changes to statutory recognition procedures, and the new requirement to inform workers of their right to join a union.
- 02 Zero hours contracts: Emerging requirements concerning guaranteed hours, advance notice of shifts, and compensation when shifts are cancelled, shortened, or changed at short notice.
- 03 Other major employment reforms: The longer time limit for Employment Tribunal claims, stronger obligations to prevent workplace harassment, changes to unfair dismissal protection, and new restrictions on “fire and rehire.”
- 04 Practical challenges for employers: Reviewing contracts and policies, preparing managers for greater employee and union activity, managing operational flexibility, and prioritizing changes across a phased and still evolving implementation timetable.
Speakers
David Hopper
Industrial Relations Partner, Lewis Silkin
David Hopper is a Partner at Lewis Silkin in London, where he heads the firm’s Industrial Relations practice. He is ranked as a Band 1 partner by Chambers and Partners and as a Next Generation Partner by Legal 500.
Hopper advises on all aspects of industrial relations and collective employment law, combining advisory and contentious work. He is a solicitor admitted in England & Wales, Hong Kong (non-practising), and Ireland, and has litigated at all levels up to and including the UK Supreme Court in trade union recognition and European Works Council cases.
His notable experience includes acting for Deliveroo in the first appeal concerning statutory trade union recognition to reach the UK Supreme Court, for Adecco in the first European Works Council appeal to reach the UK Supreme Court, and for Verizon in the first European Works Council appeal before the Irish Labour Court. He is currently acting in the first European Works Council case to be appealed to the Irish Supreme Court.
Hopper has spent nearly 11 years at Lewis Silkin, joining as an Associate in 2016 and progressing through Senior Associate (2017–2020, working across London and Hong Kong) and Managing Associate (2020–2021) before being made Partner in April 2021.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Cambridge and a Master of Science in Russian and East European Studies from the University of Oxford.
Lisa Salas
Director of European Affairs, CHRO Association
Lisa Salas serves as the Director of European Affairs at the Association, leading and growing a senior-level community of Chief HR Officers and labor relations practitioners focused on navigating Europe’s evolving employment, workforce and societal landscape.
With over 25 years of experience advising executive leadership teams in multinational organizations, she brings deep expertise in:
- European labor relations and social dialogue
- European Works Councils and transnational consultation
- Workforce transformation, restructuring and change
- Navigating regulatory, political and trade union complexity across Europe
Platform & Access
Platform
Zoom Webinar
Camera optional. Closed captions available. This session will not be recorded.
How to Join
Link sent 24 hours prior
Registered attendees will receive the Zoom link via email the day before the session, with a calendar invite. Test your audio in advance.
Save your spot
Open to CHRO Association members and Global Members