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

Well not any more:

http://www.telecompaper.com/news/vir...unions--907443

Looks like VM are easing out the CWU.

To be honest Virgin Media has only ever really paid lip service to the unions, there isn't a great membership amongst VM employees.

When we had the Broadcast division there was a decent membership of BECTU amongst them, but there aren't very many people I know in the CWU.

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

The membership of the CWU within VM has grown a lot recently. I think that is why there is a sudden move to get them unrecognised.

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

Rumour has it there has been a sudden increase in requests to join the Union by engineering staff since this was announced. Wonder if this will backfire on VM.

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

From what I heard it isn't about de recognition its simply that one part of vm has salaries determined by the union and the other 75 percent don't and people have been complaining, so they are looking to end the voluntary agreement that was in place before VM was created.

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

How is this vote being conducted, is it via a independent company or are VM doing the counting of the vote ?

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

The guy who I know had been to a roadshow, he said an independant company, he also said that they can end the agreement at anytime as its voluntary but the virgin way is to ask their people what they want apparently?

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

Correct, from the leaflet I have just seen VM argue that only 25-30% are members of the union, and therefore they don't have the mandate to collectively bargain for all.

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

I know that quiet a lot more people in other areas of te business have been signing up. Mainly for help when facing work related issues. ie sickness or disciplinary.

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

Yes and and that's every uk citizens right, this is simply about lining up one of the area with the rest of the business and agreeing changes to pay and rations with their internal forum rater than through a union that only has a percentage of their workforce as members

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

I do know that in my area of the business there has been a large increase in union membership and some areas now have 97% membership. Those areas were about to request they go through the recognition process.

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

Didn't realise that, I always get told vm is a good place to work, so a bit surprised by that percentage

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

It is a very good place to work, its just that people wanted to be part of a union. They all had there own individual reasons for being part of the union but i don't think this forum is a place to comment on there reasons . :)

I would recommend Virgin to anyone as a great place to work with excellent people to work with.

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

The company will be having major issues over this as come the end of the month they should be well and truly spanked once the CWU takes them to a tribunal over the closure of the Albert Dock, so very likely they are running scared as the result will probably ignite union membership and that is what this sly vote is all about.

Why not read the CWU response below which any of you could have found on their website but facts sometimes get in the way of argument.

click me for the CWU Response.

Click here for a response via video.

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

Bloody hell, that letter reads like something from the 70's, the tech I know said they were letting the staff decide even though they could end it anyway as its a voluntary agreement from NTl days?

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

True. Whenever i've been in contact with John East, he always sounds like a 1970's shop steward and I found his manner very arrogant too. I can't imagine he'd be a good representative at all for union members.

Also, the action that the CWU has taken regarding Albert Dock has seriously soured relations between the two parties. Unfortunately, VM are not happy bunnies at all, i've been expecting something like this.