2016 has been quite a year for trade unions and employee relations. Teachers, junior doctors, train drivers and London underground staff have all voted to strike over issues such as pay, contracts, working hours and working conditions. News coverage has highlighted how important maintaining good relationships with employees and trade unions and HR’s role in this is critical. In this episode we chat to David Widdowson, Partner at Abbiss Cadres and Jeremy Gautrey, Employee, Industrial Relations and Change Management Specialist about HR’s relationship with trade unions and the business, the common issues that can lead to disputes, and how to develop partnering arrangements to encourage greater agility and collaboration.