November 06, 2008
Fujitsu national newsletter launches pay campaign
To see an electronic copy of our latest national paper one-per-desk leaflet (Manchester version) on CafeVik, click here (a local version is here).
Similar leaflets will be going out at other sites.
November 04, 2008
Fair Pay at Fujitsu - National Campaign Launched
The company’s accounts have finally been published, and if you can pick your way through them, they contain some interesting information:
- The package of Fujitsu Services’ highest paid director rose by £½m to £2.37m – a rise of 27%.
- Mean Fujitsu Services wages & salaries cost fell £156 to £35,870.
If you’d like to help distribute a version of it at your site, please contact us.
Pass It On
If you know a few Fujitsu friends or colleagues who aren’t in the union yet but you think might be interested, why not pass this email on to them?
If you’re one of those friends or colleagues, and are interested in finding out more about UNITE in Fujitsu, you can leave your details here:
www.ourunion.org.uk/interested
…or just join of course!
Recruitment Competition
UNITE is running a recruitment competition for Fujitsu Services employees in the UK. You can enter by joining UNITE, or by recruiting colleagues – and the more you recruit, the more chances you have to win.
To enter, simply return the completed application form to “UNITE – The Union, MAN34” internally or “UNITE – The Union, Fujitsu Services, Central Park, Northampton Road, Manchester, M40 5BP”. The draw will be made before Xmas. So far we have cash prizes totaling £300 and donations of any more prizes would be welcome.
The stronger the union the more we can influence Fujitsu over vital questions such as pay and job security. Who could you ask to join?
UNITE diaries
The 2009 diaries are now available for order. These include essential union information, including contact details for UNITE offices.
The Greater Manchester IT Branch normally buys some for members who want them, and other branches may choose to do the same.
If your branch isn’t ordering some, you can of course simply order your own for £1.65.
ICL Pension Members’ Committee
Fujitsu has a number of pension schemes, the largest of which is still the “ICL Defined Benefit” scheme, which the company closed to new members in 2000.
There is a legal right to have Member Nominated Trustees to protect our pensions, in addition to which Fujitsu operates the ICL Pension Members’ Committee (IPMC).
UNITE sees the IPMC as a useful addition to the statutory arrangements to oversee our pensions, but has raised concerns over the years about the degree of unilateral control the company exerts over its composition and role. This is important because the IPMC plays a vital role in selecting the Member Nominated Trustees.
UNITE campaigns for more openness in the operation of pension schemes, as this helps protect them. There is considerable room for improvement in the arrangements in Fujitsu.
We are pleased to report that two UNITE members are joining the IPMC, representing pensioners. Dik Leatherdale and Hilary Robinson are both former UNITE reps and will undoubtedly make a real contribution. However, there are concerns about the fact that these vacancies were filled by appointment rather than election – this can only undermine their position as “representatives”. Both Dik and Hil oppose selection by the company and would have preferred an election to take place.
Feeling Hot Hot Hot!
For the past few years, some of the engineers on the Sirius (Home Office) account have been tucked away on the ground floor in a room with windows that don’t open and which face a brick wall. The one vent in the room cannot cope with the heat generated by PCs in use, being built and repaired. Much of the time they have been working in temperatures over 29°C (85°F), which is bad for the health and causes drowsiness which increases the risk of accidents and reduces productivity.
For a long time people had been asking for air conditioning or more to the point improved air conditioning.
Both a member and local management asked David Seymour, the local UNITE Workplace Representative, if UNITE could help get things moving. It took just one phone call to the right person to spur things along and work is due to start this week. Is it a coincidence that the wheels were put in motion just two days after a call to a director?
It is well proven that union organisation dramatically reduces the number of accidents and improves the health of the workforce.
Without a union, you have no effective way of protecting yourself and your colleagues. UNITE gives working people a route to protect their rights.
National Stress Awareness Day
Today is national stress awareness day – focussing on an issue of significant and growing concern to Fujitsu staff.
There is a vital difference between “pressure”, which people may enjoy and which can help us be effective, and “stress”, which is what happens when an individual suffers excess pressure which produces ill-effects.
The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) defines stress as:
The adverse reaction people have to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed on them.
The HSE identifies organisational factors as a major contributor to stress, and has published “management standards” to help organisations comply with their duty of care towards employees.
If you are suffering stress, do talk about it to someone you feel comfortable with, whether that’s a union rep or a friend at work. Look at what you do personally that might contribute, such as:
- eating on the run, or in a disorganised manner
- smoking, or drinking excessively
- rushing, hurrying, being available to everyone
- doing several jobs at once
- missing breaks, taking work home with you
- having no time for exercise and relaxation
UKCF Elections
In the by-elections for vacancies on the company’s UK Consultative Forum (UKCF), three union members had already been elected unopposed.
There was a hotly contested election in the north-west, where Robert (Wilf) Williams, who was supported by the trade unions, was successful in being elected.
Thanks to everyone who supported Wilf.
October 13, 2008
Fujitsu Manchester newsletter
To see an electronic copy of our latest paper one-per-desk leaflet on CafeVik, click here (a local version is here).