Workplace Report November 2011

Recruitment and organisation news

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.