Unions gain recognition in private sector companies

The last few weeks have seen union recognition successes at several companies, including three deals for the Unite general union.

The union negotiated a voluntary recognition agreement with LSG Sky Chefs, a catering company providing in-flight services, on behalf of 100 workers at Manchester Airport. Unite already has similar agreements with the company at Gatwick and Heathrow airports.

Unite regional co-ordinating officer Lawrence Chapple-Gill was particularly pleased as “the vast majority of our members are from black, Asian, ethnic minority and Eastern European communities — proving the point that no matter who you are, where you are from or what language you speak, there is a place for you in Unite.”

It won another recognition deal at Burton on Trent company Kammac after a ballot of the 114 staff resulted in 75 voting in favour and none against. The workers provide warehouse and other services to the Molson Coors brewery.

Workers at King & Fowler UK also voted in favour of recognition of Unite, this time in a ballot ordered by the Central Arbitration Committee. Out of 44 workers, 87% voted in favour and 13% against, meaning that 59% of the bargaining unit supported recognition.

The RMT transport union did not need a ballot for its application for statutory recognition at MITIE Technical Facilities Management. The union was able to show that the majority of workers in the bargaining unit — the Transport for London contract — were already RMT members.