The strike slowdown. Is this the calm before something else?

After a couple of years where industrial action dominated the headlines, the latest data shows a sharp drop in strike activity.

In February 2026, an estimated 39,000 working days were lost to strikes, compared to 332,000 in February 2023. On paper, that suggests things are settling down.

But for small businesses, the reality may look quite different.

Disputes do not always disappear. They just change shape.

Instead of large-scale strikes, more issues are now playing out at an individual level. Employers are increasingly finding that employees are union members, often without realising it until a situation escalates and a representative becomes involved.

For many small business owners, that can come as a surprise. One day it is an informal conversation. The next one feels far more structured, with external advice shaping the tone and direction.

At the same time, the Employment Rights Act 2025 is beginning to shift the landscape. With stronger worker protections, greater emphasis on consultation, and changes that support employee voice, there is a sense that union influence may be growing in a quieter, more individual way.

So what is happening in your business?

• Are workplace tensions easing, or just becoming less visible?
• Have you experienced situations where an employee has brought in a union representative unexpectedly?
• Do you feel prepared to handle more formal processes if employee representation becomes more common?
• And are the upcoming changes under the Employment Rights Act likely to make this more of a factor for small employers?

We would love to hear whether this drop in strike activity feels like a genuine reset or simply a shift in how workplace issues are being raised and managed.