As of 30 October 2026, under the amended Trade Unions Act, trade unions will be able to request information about the number of managerial staff from an employer electronically or in documentary form, for example by email. Upon receiving this information, a representative trade union may grant special protection to an equivalent number of individuals. Until now, trade unions have had to request this information from employers in writing.

By default, employers must still respond within seven days in hard-copy written form. However, employers may respond electronically if such communication methods have been formally agreed upon in a collective bargaining agreement or a separate written agreement.

Another change this year facilitating communication between employers and trade unions is that, since 21 January 2026, employers are no longer required to submit hard-copy written requests when consulting unions on intended employment contract terminations. Both the request and the union’s response can now be handled electronically.

In addition, even where the applicable legislation requires written form, employers may send trade unions documents electronically if they bear a qualified electronic signature and where the trade union has specified the email address to which such documents may be sent.

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