Activist Rights

Influential power and allyship

Estimated reading: 1 minute

As well as being organisations that seek to maintain and improve working conditions for their members, Trade Unions can also act as vehicles for social change as a whole. 

Trade Unions have been involved in numerous community-based campaigns. Their support has often added a strong and loud voice to social, environmental, cultural and justice issues.

Regardless of whether you are undertaking protected or unprotected industrial action which sets out your rights in relation to your employer, your right to protest is protected under section 15 of the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 which provides some statutory protection to the freedom of expression and section 16 the right to peaceful assembly.  

It is also worth being aware that people who are:

  1. picketing a place of employment; or
  2. demonstrating or protesting about a particular issue; or
  3. speaking, bearing or otherwise identifying with a banner, placard or sign or otherwise behaving in a way that is apparently intended to publicise the person’s view about a particular issue –

– are protected from being issued with move on directions by police officers (s6 Summary Offences Act 1958)

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