{"id":44832,"date":"2026-03-03T10:08:56","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T10:08:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/?p=44832"},"modified":"2026-03-06T07:12:30","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T07:12:30","slug":"uk-union-law-security-guards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/uk-union-law-security-guards\/","title":{"rendered":"Better Pay, Fairer Hours? What the New UK Union Law Means for Security Guards"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The UK&#8217;s new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.acas.org.uk\/employment-rights-act-2025\">Employment Rights Act 2025<\/a> is about to change the game for security workers. If you&#8217;re on a zero-hours contract, feel underpaid, or have never even considered joining a union, this one&#8217;s for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this blog, we break down three things every security professional needs to know: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li> How the new UK union law makes it easier for workers to organise and negotiate from April 2026<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A real example of security guards at the Bank of England who used their union to win an 4% pay rise and better conditions, and <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What&#8217;s changing with zero-hours contracts in 2027 that could finally bring stability to your working hours.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These aren&#8217;t distant policy changes; they directly affect your security guard rights, your pay, and your day-to-day working life. Let&#8217;s get into it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-new-era-for-unions-and-workers-rights\">A New Era for Unions and Workers\u2019 Rights<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The landscape of work in the UK is undergoing its biggest shake-up in decades. The Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces a raft of changes designed to \u201cmake work pay\u201d and give workers a stronger voice. According to analysis in publications like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.economist.com\/britain\/2026\/02\/05\/britains-new-union-law-will-reshape-its-workplace\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">The Economist<\/a>, the new rules will fundamentally alter the balance of power between employers and employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the biggest changes, which comes into effect on 6 April 2026, is that the process for a trade union to be officially recognised in a workplace will be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.acas.org.uk\/employment-rights-act-2025\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">simplified<\/a>. Previously, unions faced high hurdles to gain the right to negotiate on behalf of workers. The new law lowers this threshold, making it easier for a union to get a seat at the table and start negotiating for better terms, even in workplaces where union membership has been low.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Recommended Reading: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/what-security-guards-can-cant-do\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">What Security Guards Can &amp; Can\u2019t Do in the UK<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-does-it-actually-work-just-ask-the-bank-of-england-s-security-team\">Does It Actually Work? Just Ask the Bank of England&#8217;s Security Team<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Wondering what difference a union can actually make? Look no further than the recent victory by security officers at the Bank of England. In November 2025, forty Unite the Union members working for Amulet Security were initially told they would be offered no pay rise, which was followed by a low offer that was rejected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After they voted for strike action, the result was a resounding success. As <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unitetheunion.org\/news-events\/news\/2025\/november\/bank-of-england-security-strike-off-as-workers-accept-excellent-deal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Unite the Union reported<\/a>, the strike was called off after the workers accepted an \u201cexcellent\u201d deal: a 4% pay rise backdated to March 2025, another 4% from March 2026, and an extra day of annual leave. Crucially, the employer also agreed to formally recognise Unite for future collective bargaining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a perfect example of how collective action can achieve tangible results that would be nearly impossible for an individual to secure on their own. It shows that when security professionals stand together, they can win. Curious about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/security-salaries-uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">what security workers are actually earning in 2026<\/a>? The gap between what officers deserve and what they&#8217;re paid is exactly why stories like this matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Recommended Reading: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/economics-of-security-wages\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Economics of Security Wages<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-tackling-the-dreaded-zero-hours-contract\">Tackling the Dreaded Zero-Hours Contract<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The new employment laws aren\u2019t just about pay. They also take aim at the insecure working conditions that have become all too common in the security sector. For many, zero-hours contracts security work means unpredictable schedules and fluctuating income, making it difficult to plan your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Coming into effect in 2027, the Employment Rights Act will give workers on zero-hours and low-hours contracts the right to guaranteed working hours if they want them. While the exact date in 2027 has not yet been announced, this change, combined with new rights to reasonable notice of shifts and compensation for cancelled shifts, will bring much-needed stability. It\u2019s a direct challenge to the worst aspects of insecure work, and it\u2019s a huge step forward for security guard rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For anyone working in or considering a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/retail-security-career-checklist\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">career in retail security<\/a>, this means the prospect of more stable and fairly compensated employment is on the horizon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1408\" height=\"704\" src=\"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Untitled-design-2.jpg\" alt=\"a security officer working a new role after getting another SIA licence\" class=\"wp-image-44237\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-this-all-means-for-you\">What This All Means for You<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>So here&#8217;s the bottom line: from April 2026, it&#8217;ll be easier than ever for security workers to unionise and negotiate collectively. The Bank of England team already proved what&#8217;s possible: an 4% pay rise, an extra day off, and formal union recognition. And from 2027, zero-hours contract workers will have the right to guaranteed hours, fair notice, and compensation for cancelled shifts. The security industry is changing, and these new laws mean you have more power than ever to shape your working conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But it all starts with being qualified. Your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/sia-licence-guide\/\">SIA licence<\/a> is the foundation. It proves you have the skills, the knowledge, and the commitment to be a trusted professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you\u2019re looking to become a licensed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/door-supervisor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">door supervisor<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/security-guard-training\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">security guard<\/a>, or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/cctv\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CCTV operator<\/a>, you can book your course with Get Licensed and get qualified with confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/booking\/categories\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Find a course near you and book today<\/a> to lock in your training and step into your security career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The UK&#8217;s new Employment Rights Act 2025 is about to change the game for security workers. If you&#8217;re on a zero-hours contract, feel underpaid, or have never even considered joining a union, this one&#8217;s for you. In this blog, we break down three things every security professional needs to know: These aren&#8217;t distant policy changes; [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":162,"featured_media":44835,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4782],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44832","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-security-industry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.5 (Yoast SEO v27.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UK Union Law: What It Means for Security Guard Rights &amp; Pay<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Find out how UK union law is changing the landscape for security workers, ensuring better pay and working conditions in the future.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/uk-union-law-security-guards\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Better Pay, Fairer Hours? What the New UK Union Law Means for Security Guards\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Find out how UK union law is changing the landscape for security workers, ensuring better pay and working conditions in the future.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/uk-union-law-security-guards\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Get Licensed Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/getlicensed\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-03T10:08:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-06T07:12:30+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/FINAL-GL-banners-1313-524-41.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1313\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"524\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Maryam Alavi\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Get_Licensed\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Get_Licensed\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Maryam Alavi\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"UK Union Law: What It Means for Security Guard Rights & Pay","description":"Find out how UK union law is changing the landscape for security workers, ensuring better pay and working conditions in the future.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/uk-union-law-security-guards\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Better Pay, Fairer Hours? What the New UK Union Law Means for Security Guards","og_description":"Find out how UK union law is changing the landscape for security workers, ensuring better pay and working conditions in the future.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/uk-union-law-security-guards\/","og_site_name":"Get Licensed Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/getlicensed","article_published_time":"2026-03-03T10:08:56+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-03-06T07:12:30+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1313,"height":524,"url":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/FINAL-GL-banners-1313-524-41.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Maryam Alavi","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@Get_Licensed","twitter_site":"@Get_Licensed","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Maryam Alavi","Estimated reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/uk-union-law-security-guards\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/uk-union-law-security-guards\/"},"author":{"name":"Maryam Alavi","@id":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/#\/schema\/person\/258962650d733dd911ca46bbf9f45922"},"headline":"Better Pay, Fairer Hours? What the New UK Union Law Means for Security Guards","datePublished":"2026-03-03T10:08:56+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-06T07:12:30+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/uk-union-law-security-guards\/"},"wordCount":820,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/uk-union-law-security-guards\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/FINAL-GL-banners-1313-524-41.jpg","articleSection":["Security Industry"],"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/uk-union-law-security-guards\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/uk-union-law-security-guards\/","url":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/uk-union-law-security-guards\/","name":"UK Union Law: What It Means for Security Guard Rights & Pay","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/uk-union-law-security-guards\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/uk-union-law-security-guards\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/FINAL-GL-banners-1313-524-41.jpg","datePublished":"2026-03-03T10:08:56+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-06T07:12:30+00:00","description":"Find out how UK union law is changing the landscape for security workers, ensuring better pay and working conditions in the future.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/uk-union-law-security-guards\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/uk-union-law-security-guards\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/uk-union-law-security-guards\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/FINAL-GL-banners-1313-524-41.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/FINAL-GL-banners-1313-524-41.jpg","width":1313,"height":524,"caption":"a security worker signing a contract"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/uk-union-law-security-guards\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Better Pay, Fairer Hours? What the New UK Union Law Means for Security Guards"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/","name":"Get Licensed Blog","description":"Get Licensed Blog - Get tips for security training, sia licence and finding work.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/#organization","name":"Get Licensed","url":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Screenshot-2022-02-14-at-15.50.29.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Screenshot-2022-02-14-at-15.50.29.png","width":728,"height":272,"caption":"Get Licensed"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/getlicensed","https:\/\/x.com\/Get_Licensed","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/getlicensed","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/getlicensed\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/#\/schema\/person\/258962650d733dd911ca46bbf9f45922","name":"Maryam Alavi","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f07787d4e755b9a76ea1274885b0d932e9fe9ae38b3d78f784a437ea60f8dfcd?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f07787d4e755b9a76ea1274885b0d932e9fe9ae38b3d78f784a437ea60f8dfcd?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f07787d4e755b9a76ea1274885b0d932e9fe9ae38b3d78f784a437ea60f8dfcd?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Maryam Alavi"},"description":"Maryam explores security career opportunities, licensing processes, and industry developments. She provides clear, accessible guidance for individuals entering or progressing within the sector. Her work inspires confidence for learners taking their first steps into security careers.","sameAs":["https:\/\/pk.linkedin.com\/in\/maryam-naseem-alavi"],"jobTitle":"Content Marketing Manager at Get Licensed | Security Industry Writer","worksFor":"Get Licensed","url":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/author\/maryam-naseem\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44832","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/162"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44832"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44832\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":44836,"href":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44832\/revisions\/44836"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44835"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44832"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44832"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44832"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}