Employees and job applicants have certain rights in relation to trade union membership. Perhaps the most important is the right not to be discriminated against for being, or not being, a union member or taking part in union activities.
If a company recognises a trade union for the purposes of collective bargaining, the union's officials and members have certain rights to time off work. The union's officials, including shop stewards and learning representatives, are entitled to reasonable, paid, time off to carry out their functions and undergo related training. The union's members are entitled to reasonable, unpaid, time off for union activities, including using the services of their learning representatives.