Request Right to Union Representation Letter: Free Template and What to Include

If you need to assert your right to be accompanied at a disciplinary or grievance hearing, a written letter is the recommended first step — it creates a clear record and shows you're pursuing the matter formally. Below is what a strong request right to union representation should include.

What this letter needs to cover

• Confirm the hearing date
• Name the chosen representative
• State the statutory right to be accompanied
• Note the right to postpone by up to 5 working days if the rep is unavailable

Your right to be accompanied at disciplinary and grievance hearings

Under the Employment Relations Act 1999, you have a statutory right to be accompanied by a trade union representative or work colleague at formal disciplinary and grievance hearings — this is a day-one right regardless of length of service, and your employer must reasonably accommodate a request to exercise it.

What to include before you send it

• Confirmation of the hearing and your chosen companion
• A clear statement asserting your statutory right to be accompanied
• A request for confirmation this has been noted
• A request to reschedule if your chosen companion is genuinely unavailable for the proposed date

What your companion can actually do during the hearing

Your companion can address the hearing, ask questions, and confer with you privately, but generally cannot answer questions on your behalf or address the hearing if you don't wish them to — understanding these limits helps set realistic expectations for how the hearing will actually work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my employer refuse my choice of companion?
Generally no — your employer must agree to your request to be accompanied by a fellow worker, a trade union representative certified by their union, or an official employed by a trade union.

What if the hearing goes ahead without giving me this right?
This is a significant procedural failure that can undermine the fairness of any resulting decision, and is worth raising immediately if it happens.

[Your Name]
[Your Department]
[Your Email / Phone]
[Name / Job Title, e.g. Investigating Manager]
[Company Name]
[Company Address]
[Company Postcode]
[Date]

Dear [Name],

Subject: My companion at the [disciplinary / grievance] hearing on [Date]

I am writing about the [disciplinary / grievance] hearing on [Date] at [Time].

I am using my statutory right to be accompanied under section 10 of the Employment Relations Act 1999. My companion will be [Name], [a representative of [Union] who is certified by the union as trained to accompany workers / a colleague].

[If your companion cannot attend: My companion is not available at that time. As the law allows, I propose [New Date] at [New Time], which is within 5 working days after the day you proposed.]

Please confirm that my companion's attendance has been noted.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Signature]
[Your Printed Name]