PE acquirers should view unions as stakeholders and factor possible or actual engagement obligations with them into the deal process.

By Kendall Burnett, Tom D. Evans, David J. Walker, Paul Lawrence, and Catherine Campbell

Widespread economic pressure — including pay, inflation, and the ongoing cost of living crisis — has increased union visibility. As the number of workers interested in union membership grows and the frequency of strikes surges in the UK and elsewhere, PE deals teams should remain mindful of the presence and role of unions in M&A.