VIRGIN MEDIA : DE-RECOGNITION OF TRADE UNIONS

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Letter to Branches




No 831/2012
Ref :JE/IH
Date: 5th November 2012


To all Branches with members in Virgin Media

Dear Colleague

VIRGIN MEDIA – DE-RECOGNITION OF TRADE UNIONS

On the afternoon of Friday 2nd November under the pretext of a “quick catch up call” Virgin Media informed the CWU that they intended to de-recognise the CWU and BECTU. They said that they had inherited recognition agreements from Telewest and NTL when these companies merged, and that it did not fit with their plans for the future.

Practically, they are starting a “referendum” on Wednesday 7th November, finishing on 16th, in which they are asking all staff in the Access Division to vote to de-recognise the unions. Staff received letters from the Company at their home addresses on Saturday urging them to vote for de-recognition and meetings have been arranged in every locality for Virgin Media to sell this message to ensure they win the vote. In an outrageous move they have even organised a Conference Call for all CWU reps today without even informing Head Office.

They have clearly left nothing to chance, the majority of those receiving a vote are not covered by the CWU recognition agreement, in fact, a large percentage are not covered by any recognition agreement at the moment.

Already, CWU reps have reported a sense of outrage and injustice at Virgin Media’s actions from amongst our membership. It is likely that members will be contacting Branches over the next few days asking for advice. A letter to members is being prepared and will be copied to Branches, Separately, a formal letter is being sent to the Company.

The CWU has no intention of walking away from Virgin Media and we are formulating with the Reps plans to protect and strengthen our membership.

Yours Sincerely,


John East
Assistant Secretary

[fishtank]

Sneaky f***ers.

[Lounge Lizard]

I've never trusted Beardie.

[fishtank]

Boycott their D2D?

[Lounge Lizard]

Boycott their D2D?

- and records, planes, trains and everything else he's meddled with.

[fishtank]

Boycott their D2D?

- and records, planes, trains and everything else he's meddled with.

Even his spaceship?

[steven100]

Is he really still involved in Virgin Media??? Wonder if he pays tax???

[dvbuk55]

Perhaps it's shades of the future - who knows what relationship the CWU had with the members at Virgin who must assume they are in a strong position to take the action they have. What proportion of employees are members of the union for example and how effective has recruitment been?

[postypie]

Thanks for that info.....i will cancel my tv/internet/phone package first thing tomorrow....f**k Branson...f**k virgin..( )...Sky here i come..unless someone can recommend somebody else?

[DGP1]

I seem to remember that Postman is a Virgin user...............

[dvbuk55]

I seem to remember that Postman is a Virgin user...............

Well I presume only the once

[dvbuk55]

Thanks for that info.....i will cancel my tv/internet/phone package first thing tomorrow....f**k Branson...f**k virgin..( )...Sky here i come..unless someone can recommend somebody else?

Well due to problems with Sky in the past I have both Virgin and Sky - currently I am without a phone line courtesy of Sky.........yet again due to some arsehole buggering about at the exchange - so I'd stick with Virgin and I certainly wouldn't recommend Sky.

[hans solo]

sums up the current leadership of cwu and the way we have been heading only a matter of time before rm try it on
there is a total lack of support for cwu in many delivery offices and rm know this
our office would not take any industrial action now for whatever reason
sold out to many times now

[POSTMAN]

Oh no baby pt1

[flaminmoses]

flaminmoses de recognition of virgin media