Draft Code of Practice on the Right of Trade Unions to Access Workplaces; Draft Trade Unions (Right to Access Workplaces) Regulations 2026

Cat Eccles Excerpts

Wednesday 9th September 2026 General Committees

[Cat Eccles (Stourbridge) (Lab)]

May I also declare my membership of the RMT parliamentary group and that I am a proud trade unionist? I welcome these regulations and the Government’s efforts to strengthen trade union access rights, but we have a concern specifically about how that will be applied to seafarers.

As we heard from my right hon. Friend the Member for Hayes and Harlington (John McDonnell), as drafted, these regulations simply replicate the existing regulations, meaning that enhanced access rights will apply only to crews on UK-flagged vessels. In practice, that would exclude seafarers who are working from UK ports every single day, including those employed on services operated by P&O Ferries, Irish Ferries and other vessels that are registered overseas.

During the passage of the Employment Rights Act 2025, Ministers recognised the need to consider how employment protections should apply to seafarers with strong connections to Great Britain, and committed to continue discussions with the maritime unions on this issue. Baroness Jones, in the other place, specifically undertook to explore how the objectives behind Lord Hendy’s amendment could be secured.

Could the Minister therefore please confirm that the Government will work with the RMT and other maritime unions on a review of how these access rights and wider employment protections can be extended to seafarers working on vessels with a sufficient link to Great Britain, regardless of the flag they sail under?