The CWU and BECTU unions are reporting an initiative by Virgin Media to try to deny staff union recognition.
With no warning, the employer has used a company it has engaged, rather than anyone independent, to run a "ballot" of staff in its Access Division over the company's plan to derecognise the unions. The company has sent staff material explaining its position, not including any material from the unions, and has included in the ballot people who aren't covered by union recognition anyway.
If any union ran an industrial action ballot like this the law would be down on us like a ton of bricks.
This kind of employer action brings back memories for me. I first joined the union at work when my own employer tried to derecognise it. Many others joined at the same time. At the time the union in my workplace wasn't well organised and wasn't very effective for us, but we felt that we, not the company, should choose who represented us. We understood that getting rid of the union was likely to be a precursor to worsening pay, terms and conditions. Our campaign was successful in defending union recognition and the union today is a lot more active and effective than it was then.
I hope staff at Virgin Media are successful in defending their union recognition and come out of the campaign with their organisation reinvigorated.
Tweet
