The National Trust Board has agreed to recognise Prospect as the preferred union because it already represents a significant number of the Trust’s 4,000 permanent employees.

Commenting on the ballot result, Paul Noon, Prospect general secretary, said: “This is the beginning of a positive, long-term partnership. Prospect looks forward to working with the National Trust for the benefit of staff as well as the organisation itself and its members."

As part of the ballot, staff were given the chance to vote on one of four methods of representation. These were:

- a consultative committee comprising elected members of staff and representatives from the management board

- a staff association

- full union recognition with statutory rights to negotiate on terms and conditions, and

- a negotiating committee comprising union and non-union members.

Announcing the result to staff, Fiona Reynolds, director general at the National Trust, said: “A very important decision has now been made, one in which we’ve all had an opportunity to participate. I look forward to working with Prospect in setting up new systems of dialogue and representation.”

Prospect members in the Trust will join the union’s growing heritage sector of 4,500 members, which includes conservators, curators, scientists, restorers, archaeologists and many other leading practitioners in their field.

Prospect already has recognition rights with English Heritage, English Nature, national museums and galleries such as the British Museum, and the Royal Botanical Gardens (Kew and Edinburgh) to name a few. The union also has recognition for staff in the National Trust for Scotland where 300 of the 468 permanent staff are members.