CAC Expanded to Support Employment Rights Act Changes

Through the Employment Rights Act 2025, the government is reforming its trade union policy, including simplifying the process for trade union recognition and introducing a new trade union right of access to workplaces. The Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) will have an important role in the implementation of the Act.

Five new Deputy Chairs, nine new Employer Members, and nine new Worker Members have been appointed to serve five-year terms to increase the CAC’s capacity to deal with the expected increase in caseload. All appointments will start on the 8 July.

The following have been appointed:

Deputy Chairs

• John Bowers

• Lynn Collins

• Simon Lewis

• Sarah Worth

• Charles Wynn-Evans

Employer Members

• Elizabeth Cooke

• Naomi Cooke

• Timothy Craddock

• Caron Deans

• Paul Doyle

• Kenny Irwin

• Sally Lakin

• Heather Lee

• Rachael Minnis

Worker Members

• Kathryn Armstrong

• Sean Beatty

• Martin Freedman

• Matthew Fulton

• Mark Holding

• Rachel Jennings

• Jonathan Skewes

• Helen Whyley

• Rebecca Wright

The CAC is an independent statutory authority with specific functions relating to resolving collective disputes between trade unions and employers. Its most significant functions include determining applications for the recognition and derecognition of trade unions for collective bargaining purposes and, from October 2026, determining right of access terms where negotiations between employers and trade unions are unsuccessful and a party has referred an application for access to the CAC. These functions are carried out by applying the underpinning GB trade union recognition and access legislation.

The overall responsibility for the CAC’s work rests with the Chair. The CAC itself comprises three groups: Deputy Chairs; Members with experience as employers’ representatives (mainly HR Directors and Employment Relations leaders); and Members with experience as workers’ representatives (mainly senior trade union officials). It works through Panels consisting of the Chair or a Deputy Chair and one member drawn from each of the other two groups.