QinetiQ to end recognition

Four unions are vowing to fight the decision by defence contractor QinetiQ to end union recognition at the end of this month.

Unite, GMB, PCS and Prospect between them have thousands of members in the privatised company, which provides scientific and technical services to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), among others.

QinetiQ has said it will terminate collective bargaining on 31 March and instead set up an “employee engagement forum” covering all employees. The unions, however, say the move is nothing more than “crude union-bashing”.

MPs from across four parties, including both coalition partners, have signed an early day motion urging the defence secretary to intervene, pointing out that the firm receives around £500,000 from MoD contracts.