UK collective agreement coverage 2023

In 2023, around 68 percent of employees in the public sector had their pay and conditions negotiated for them by a union. In comparison, this figure was 15.4 percent for the private sector. Overall, both sectors see a trend of decrease over this time period.

Proportion of employees whose pay and conditions were agreed in negotiations between the employer and a trade union in the United Kingdom from 1996 to 2023, by sector

Characteristic	Private sector	Public sector	All employees
2023	15.4%	68%	29.9%
2022	13.1%	61.6%	26.5%
2021	13.7%	58.3%	25.9%
2020	13.7%	57.1%	25.6%
2019	15.1%	60.1%	26.9%
2018	14.7%	58.9%	26%
2017	15.3%	57.6%	26%
2016	15%	59%	26.3%
2015	16.1%	60.7%	27.9%
2014	15.4%	60.7%	27.5%
2013	16.6%	63.7%	29.5%
2012	16.1%	63.7%	29.3%
2011	17%	67.8%	31.2%
2010	16.9%	64.5%	30.9%
2009	17.8%	68.1%	32.8%
2008	18.7%	70.6%	33.7%
2007	20%	72%	34.7%
2006	19.6%	69%	33.4%
2005	20.6%	70.9%	35%
2004	20.5%	71.2%	34.8%
2003	21.9%	71.5%	35.5%
2002	21.1%	73.6%	35.2%
2001	21.9%	72.6%	35.5%
2000	22.5%	74.2%	36.4%
1999	23%	72.7%	36.1%
1998	21.7%	75.1%	35.4%
1997	22%	74.9%	37%
1996	23.2%	74.4%	36%

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Release date

June 2024

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Region

United Kingdom

Survey time period

1996 to 2023

Supplementary notes

* Prior to 1999, the question asked was differently, the key change being the removal of the word 'directly':
Pre 1999: Are your pay and conditions of employment directly affected by agreements between your employer and any trade union(s) or staff association?
From 1999: Are your pay and conditions of employment affected by agreements between your employer and any trade union(s) or staff association?
This statistic is using original data from the Government Digital Service and includes copyright material from © Crown, licensed under the Open Government License v3.0

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