Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

The Conservative Government introduced legal limitations to "Flying Pickets" in the early 1980's.

The VM management team would not go out to deliberately antagonise the workforce- it just wouldn't make sense from any perspective.

Having said that, I do know of a factory owner who instigated a strike whilst trade was very quiet. It was "resolved" just as trade picked up and he had saved a fortune in wages, by not paying people to do nothing!

The situation is completely different in the case of VM.

What alternative unions are there to the CWU?

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

bectu


Virgin Media anti-union move hits BECTU members
26 November 2012

Roughly 30 members of BECTU working for Virgin Media have been caught up in union de-recognition bid.

Virgin management gave notice last week that the Communications Workers' Union, the company's largest, would no longer be recognised for bargaining purposes.

It is now clear that the de-recognition move also applies to BECTU, whose members in Virgin Media originated in NTL, which was merged into the company in 2006.

Virgin announced that it was no longer planning to bargain with the two unions after a ballot of staff, including many who were not covered by the agreements between the company, CWU, and BECTU.

Officials in both unions have condemned the move, which is believed to have been coordinated by union-busting specialists hired in from an American consultancy.

No access to staff was allowed to CWU or BECTU while the ballot took place, and reports from members indicate that they were put under severe pressure to vote against continued union recognition.

Despite the unequal nature of the ballot, only 52% of the participating staff voted against a union presence in their workplace, suggesting that a significant proportion of the workforce still want independent representation.

While the two unions prepare strategies to regain recognition, staff at the company will be allowed to take part in an in-house staff forum, which will not, however, bargain over pay and conditions.

Spencer MacDonald, BECTU's Supervisory Official covering Virgin, said: "This is a backward step for staff at Virgin, and I'm baffled that the company would want to destroy a productive and functioning relationship with us.

"Virgin staff will now have no independent representation at work, and on a range of issues like pay and working conditions they will be at the mercy of management. BECTU will be working with the CWU to win back the basic rights of our members in the company"
http://www.bectu.org.uk/news/1726

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

I hope VM sue the arse of these guys for the lies they are spinning, I was at an investor session where the managment clearly stated that the staff still have the right to union representation at any time and that pay discussions will be carried out through internal voice reps. And with regard US union busters they said the only people involved were 2 or 3 uk based directors carrying out roadshows to explain the rational for wanting their people to have a vote even though they actually didn't need to ?

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

It is, but nothing that I didn't expect from the CWU. They are the most unprofessional union that I have ever had the misfortune to deal with. The sad thing is that it is the rank and file members who are going to suffer as a result.

Their arrogance towards others, whilst claims of financial mismanagement with members' money, is truly jaw dropping.

Indeed, on top of their lack of professional conduct and allegations of misusing union funds, the CWU try to sue VM, try to damage their brand and then wonder why we don't want anything to do with them!!!!!!

As a Director and shareholder of several companies, I always put the interests of shareholders first. I have a legal requirement to.

Also, remember that, without people willing to invest in VM, you wouldn't have a job.

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

Clueless as usual I see, a boss hugger if ever I saw one.:rolleyes:

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

:handshake:clap:

It is not only the likes of the CWU who can resort to legal action ;)

---------- Post added at 20:18 ---------- Previous post was at 20:14 ----------

I really do wish that you would move on from the 1970's mentality of "them and us".

Attitudes have changed as people have realised that working together in partnership is the way forward.

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

I didn't realise you ran a telecomms business, Richard.....

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

This is a thread about Vm and the CWU, so looking at your post which you also quoted me in so i decided to reply you have said "and then wonder why we don't want anything to do with them!!!!!! " So do you work for VM or not as your post indicates by it wording that you do. ?

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

I don't, my involvement with the CWU is for other purposes.

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

Why clueless Peter, btw what happened last week?

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

We? Who's we?

---------- Post added at 20:45 ---------- Previous post was at 20:39 ----------

Does he hell,

He's a VM fantasist.

He's probably unemployed in his early 20's, sitting in front of his computer in his boxer shorts surrounded by pizza box's and cheap beer.

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

Thats an image i did not need on a Saturday night :)

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

the management have stopped all union reps from having any time to conduct union business on behalf of any member of staff -so you have either been lied to or your fantasising -Tommy two shares - which is it??

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

You calling your senior managers liars then? Lots more than two shares btw;)

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

Quite right IMO. They are paid to do work for VM, not agitate against it. If they want to do "Union business" they should do it in the pub afterwards on their own time and see how many people turn up.

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

Does that included representing a union member at a disciplinary, the reason i ask is that we have been told we can only have a voice rep in future ?

BTW the last union meeting held for planning was in Birmingham on a Sunday and 40 people turned up to hear what the union had to say. Not bad for a Sunday :)

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

Well as far as I'm aware you can have whoever you like. I've sat in at the request of a friend before and I'm neither Voice or in the CWU

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

So have i but i was shocked to be told by a college that this is how its going to be going forward. Voice reps are now to take on the role of the removed union reps. I do hope its not true as i certainly would prefer to be able to use a person i pick for it.

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

Not anything I've heard, and my manager is our divisional Voice rep

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

I hope that i have been told incorrectly then, I would if needed always want to be able to chose who represents me.

Might ask officially on Monday

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

You always try to infer that you work for Virgin Media which apart from the inference is obviously incorrect as all you have ever wanted to do is stir things up or try and weasel out little tidbits.

As for the other poster on here all he is interested in his the return on on so called portfolio and as long as it gives a return he does not care what happens to the people working for the company, that type of person makes me sick because they are just in it for the money.

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

Of course I care about people I have been made redundant twice - both times in companies that recognised unions, if a company needs to make people redundant, for whatever reason, they will, whether a union is present or not. The union attempted to make the decision on who went fair.

What cheeses me off is that you tried to drag their name through the mud, claiming this and that and that they were going to get their arses kicked. It appears you were wrong, however you won't say that will you?

Also my mate who is a Service Tech (who by the way Peter, also has shares, just like anyone else could, if they simply bought some ) recieved a mail from his director, part of the mail said -

Finally it’s been suggested that if you’re not in a union you’re going to suffer in some way. It’s just not true. Out of the 16,000 people working for Virgin Media only about 5% are now in a union. We don’t see the other 95% having a hard time as a result. You have a perfect right to be in a union if you want but please don’t let the union deceive you into thinking that you need their protection. Virgin Media isn’t that kind of company and we hope you know that.

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

what's it like back there in the 19th century chris still wearing clogs and doffing your cap to tut gaffer ?

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

You talk more about your shares which shows exactly what you think of the actual workers.

The company with regards to technical support is in a flat spin as they cannot replace the 2nd line skills lost after the closure as all 2nd line support was at the Albert Dock and writing a manual does not replace skill.

At least everyone that mattered found positions elsewhere locally and with regards to 2nd line most found better paid positions with more scope to go forward.

Some did go to Swansea but not everyone has stayed when they realised that the pavements were not paved with gold but Virgin Media crap.

---------- Post added at 09:19 ---------- Previous post was at 09:18 ----------

It is what a hard nosed tory would expect us to do and are quite shocked to find not still happening.

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

its more like some one who has never had a proper job would spout while they turn the heating up in the office so the tea and toast don't get cold .;)

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

You may or may not be right on the 2nd line stuff, I don't know. From what I can gather what happened in Liverpool was part of a rationalisation of call centres which also involved moving Trowbridge traffic to Manchester which created 400 jobs there. (this was all in their investor relations pack)

What I do know is that their business is surviving and growing at the fastest rate in its history and that is good news for its remaining employees.

On a personal level you don't not know me at all and you have no idea on how I think.

BTW - you keep avoiding any clarification about all their wrong doings regarding Albert Dock and the outcome you were telling everyone was about to happen?

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

any way re union involvement i would be more worried about the 30 bectu members


Virgin Media anti-union move hits BECTU members
26 November 2012

Roughly 30 members of BECTU working for Virgin Media have been caught up in union de-recognition bid.


those mere 30 bectu members work in broadcasting and its nearly xmas ,and bectu are a lot more militant than the cwu ,make sure the freeview is tuned in:shocked:

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

and what the hell where you in it for :rolleyes:

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

Very good that:)

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

why have you got shares in freeview as-well ?

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

No have some in Sky though, if anyone is interested media stock is a great bet at the moment. Its really easy to do and any bank will set up an account. After that you simply tell them to buy or sell.

However, it's unlikely you would get a return like the VM employees in their internal scheme

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

Oh do get your facts right he has shares in the company do try and keep up it does help if you read the thread more thoroughly.:rolleyes:

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

I will repeat ,why where you working for VM ?It's not a difficult question Peter maybe you just don't want to answer it because you know all your arguments have just been swallowed up in a big black hole .I know Top Banana owns shares ,i want to know why you worked for VM .

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

So you are now being stupid I see, I worked there because it was my job, Top banana just wants to bash unions because he is a share holder, do you understand the difference if not try a dictionary.:rolleyes:

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

Back to calling people stupid again?

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

Virgin Media doesn't have a "broadcasting" division.

The bulk of the engineers in BECTU were indeed from the old NTL:Broadcast division which later went on to become Arqiva. But they were tupe'd back to Virgin Media to become 'Core network" engineers.

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

Well he is being so with that rather idiotic question, why do people work for a company, how on earth can you compare a union bashing share holder to someone working for a company, to even think of asking such a stupid question makes you wonder what goes through someones mind to even form a question as stupid as that one above.

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

You mean you did it to earn money ,coincidentally exactly the same reason as people like Top Banana buy shares,but it's ok for you to earn money and not them because the way they do it doesn't meet with your approval .
No wonder unions are dying out with members with your attitude

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

I'm a shareholder and I work for the company, the two are not mutually exclusive.

I work for the company and I have desire to see it perform well.

In all the years I've been there, the last 4 have been the most secure, in terms of redundancies, that I can remember.

It used to be the case, virtually annually, that every Sept you were put on 90days notice, with many of you losing your job by Christmas.

I don't recall the unions being particularly vocal then, or any other time.

In fact now, when they've been given the Spanish archer by VM, is the only time I've seen any notices from them.

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

Are you a union basher, of course not the is a difference.

---------- Post added at 15:14 ---------- Previous post was at 15:12 ----------

No wonder you are now a driver with your attitude either, do not forget the lariet.

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

What if he is ?what if anyone is ? do you dislike anyone having a different opinion to yours ? I'll tell you something else as well ,you would get lynched at my dads Miners Welfare club they hate the unions with a passion

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

core network engineers you say


what do they do /look after ?

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

My choice and as it happens the right one

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

I am getting quite cheesed off with you calling me a union basher, where is your evidence of this? All I have done is quote stuff that is in the public domain. YOU are the individual who came on here and told the world about all the stuff VM have done wrong regarding Albert Dock. All I said was that you were seeing only one side of the argument and that was what the union were telling you.

On the collective bargaining its quite clear the union did not expect to lose but they did, and have now resorted to headline grabbing tactics to scare the the VM employees.

They also told you that they had a cast iron case about VM, however no one is sure what happened, however it's easy to guess because if they had won, there propaganda machine would be in full flow and they would have been shouting from the roof tops.

I have my own business with employees although its in the building trade, like I said, you know nothing about me, I do care about employees.

So, stop the personal attacks please!

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

are you white van man ?;)

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

I did not know you were from Nottingham with all the non NUM miners, nice.

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

Not personally but possibly the guys are:)

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

Wrong again :rolleyes:

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

i thought he fitted twinders fut coucil

---------- Post added at 15:40 ---------- Previous post was at 15:37 ----------

wot even Arthur scargill
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Scargill

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

Not any more ,since all the council work has ended i decided to look for a more regular and better paid line of work .I still do building work for people as and when i choose

---------- Post added at 15:45 ---------- Previous post was at 15:40 ----------

He wouldn't get out alive ,and nor would Maggie it has to said,but i think we are drifting OT .

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

That is unjust, as I said in a previous post some of my family lost their jobs as miners and they were in the union.

You need to get help with that attitude you have

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

Well i am unsubscribing from this thread as its just getting petty and childish

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

Clue is in the title.

Originally the core network and predominately the transmode kit at the time, however now they work on the access network and vice versa so the term is redundant. They are now just engineers along with all the other network engineers.

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

<deleted - pointless bickering removed>

---------- Post added at 20:41 ---------- Previous post was at 20:21 ----------

[/COLOR]Partly correct. I had a well earned break over the weekend, which was spent eating Dominos pizza, drinking Piesporter whilst enjoying some television.

I'll happily settle for you believing that i'm in my early 20's :D

I'd like you to contact <Deleted - Do not invade someone's privacy by naming them when their role is not a public facing representative of the company>, at your earliest convenience. <deleted> is keen to talk to you about some of your ideas :-)

As previously explained, I am not directly employed by VM and have never claimed otherwise.

I too have shares-in many companies. I never give a second thought to the people employed in these companies.

Unless I hold a directorship in a particular company, they are not my concern or interest. It is merely a financial investment purely designed to make me money.

You claim that VM are now in a 'flat spin'.

You have also stated that you didn't get a pay rise for years at Albert Dock, that everybody found alternative employment, that some found better positions locally with even better prospects. This was on top of any tax free redundancy payments.

So, in essence, you feel that the closure of Albert Dock was a bad thing for VM and a good thing for staff.

So, what's the problem?

Can you please update us as to the current position regarding the legal action that the CWU took against VM? I haven't heard anything since you brought it to our attention.

---------- Post added at 20:47 ---------- Previous post was at 20:41 ----------

If my TV goes off due to industrial action I will simply use another TV supplier, as i'm sure many other people will do. That will mean even more redundancies.

Exactly.

---------- Post added at 20:52 ---------- Previous post was at 20:47 ----------

There's absolutely nothing wrong with being a driver for a living, if indeed that is the case. What on earth happened to working class solidarity?

Indeed.

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

"Working class solidarity"?

Bless.....

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

The lady you name. i do not name VM employees out of respect, is not a Manager, she is a 'champion' - whatever that is. She has no direct reports and, respectfully, is fairly low ranking.

Why you would you would bring her into the discussion is bewildering.

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........
 

<deleted - more bickering>

I think that Peter will understand this terminology.

Rather than pondering in public, why don't you just contact her :)

Re: You can't get me I'm part of the Union........