Recognition won after year-long campaign

Staff at the Pricecheck London supermarket chain won a notable victory when they secured recognition for their union after a year-long campaign.

Pricecheck had refused to recognise the T&G general union, despite the union having recruited 80% of the chain's 160 staff into membership. However, in late December, shortly before a number of union-backed dismissal and victimisation cases were due to be heard at employment tribunals, the company backed down.

The recognition agreement covers full collective bargaining rights for all eight London stores, recruitment facilities in all stores and time off facilities for three shop stewards. T&G regional official Dave Turnbull said there would be wage negotiations later this year and annually thereafter.

Turnbull suggested three reasons for the company's U-turn: "Number one, we had the 10 tribunal cases looming; number two, the (union recognition) legislation was impending anyway; and number three the boycott and protest activities (including picketing outside the shops), which were beginning to hit the business".

He added that the first meeting between union and management in early January "went very smoothly".