AEEU Honda deal is "biggest yet"

The largest recognition deal to come out of the Employment Act 1999 has been reached between Japanese carmaker Honda and the AEEU engineers' union (now part of Amicus). The company had not recognised unions since it opened its Swindon site in 1985.

The union's claim for recognition went through the statutory procedures, which required it to ballot Honda's 4,000-strong workforce. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of those voting in the ballot were in favour of recognition and the turnout was 77%.

The union's general secretary, Sir Ken Jackson, welcomed the result, saying: "We look forward to working in partnership with Honda and its employees to keep this company stable, secure and successful."

On the down side, airline pilots' union BALPA lost a claim for recognition at low-cost airline Ryanair when only a third of the pilots voting in the ballot were in favour of recognition.

And last month the T&G general union lost a recognition claim at William Beckett Plastics after losing a workplace ballot.