Virgin Media is consulting staff on the future of trade union recognition within the cablenet.
The referendum among technicians and engineers will take place today, running until November 16, and will ultimately decide whether the company continues to recognize media and entertainment union BECTU and the Communication Workers Union (CWU).
It asks the question: “Do you agree with Virgin Media’s proposal to end the current collective bargaining agreement with our Trade Unions (CWU and BECTU)?”
A spokesman for Virgin Media said in a statement: “We’re currently asking some of our staff in the field whether collective bargaining deals struck many years ago, well before Virgin Media even existed, are still the best way to negotiate pay and working conditions. Over the years we’ve built independent and well established forums where employees represent each other to ensure they all have an inclusive say in company decision making. Following strong feedback from our people, we now want to understand what the majority want. This referendum is only open to those who would be directly impacted by these agreements and a vote to end them has no bearing on an individual’s choice to be a union member.”
A previous vote in 2005, prior to the NTL and Telewest merger into Virgin Media, voted in favour of continued recognition.
CWU membership is largely in the former Telewest areas, but also within call centres.
