To see an electronic copy of our latest paper one-per-desk leaflet on Cafevik, click here (a local version is here).
This leaflet was produced for our Manchester Central Park site.
Support continues to pour in for our campaign from working people across the country.
In addition to the pdf files of messages and letters of support that we've already published: pdf 1, pdf 2, pdf 3, pdf 4 , pdf 5, pdf 6, pdf 7 and pdf 8,
we have 5 new files for you:
pdf9, pdf10, pdf11, pdf12, pdf13.
Please keep the support coming - see here for a dispute summary, appeal, collection sheet etc.
Fujitsu wanted to pilot fitting tracking devices to cars for mobile engineers, to “improve the efficiency of call allocation” by allowing controllers to see where the vehicles were, speed, direction etc.
While this is a legitimate aim, the plans raised huge concerns amongst the engineers. Firstly, the company didn’t give a clear statement that the data collected wouldn’t be used for other purposes (e.g. disciplinary). Secondly, there were major privacy concerns because the devices continued collecting data while the vehicle was being used for private journeys by the employee or their family.
The engineers “volunteered” for the pilot exercise objected strongly. UNITE members on the company’s UK Consultative Forum (UKCF) raised these concerns with the company.
We are told that the plan is now “under review”.
Thanks to everyone who attended the report-back sessions last week, and particularly those who brought non-members along too.
The union negotiating team reported on the various issues in dispute and the progress being made in negotiations. Though important issues remain to be resolved, they were cautiously optimistic that an offer from the company could be put to members in about 1 – 2 months.
As previously explained, our team do not believe it would be appropriate to make a written report on the specifics of negotiations at this stage because it might prejudice the talks.
One of the strong messages from members was that it would be unacceptable for the company to shift its position at the eleventh hour, or for the company to over-rule its own negotiating team. This message has already been communicated back to management.
Once negotiations conclude and both sides have carried out legal checks, the union aims to get any company offer witnessed by ACAS before publishing it for staff to consider. An EGM will then be held to discuss the offer prior to a vote. The EGM will decide how the vote should be conducted, which could be postal, electronic or by show of hands.
Further negotiations are scheduled for this week.
The union day out to Chester Zoo on Saturday was a great success, with over sixty people taking part. If only the weather had been that good when we were picketing!
One of the issues still to be addressed in the negotiations is pay. With inflation fluctuating between 4.5% and 5% in recent months, this is becoming a bigger and bigger issue for employees everywhere. The situation where companies are putting up prices faster than earnings are rising (for the first time in 30 years) threatens living standards for working people generally. For example, you may have seen that postal workers in the CWU union have just voted by a large majority for industrial action against a 2.5% pay offer.
Recent analysis by the Labour Research Department showed that remuneration for top company directors is still rising rapidly.
Here in Fujitsu, we’re starting from a position of being generally paid below market rates and then having below-inflation pay rises for many years. Fujitsu Services is now a successful company, with profits rising year on year due to our hard work. No bonus or incentive scheme can substitute for a proper level of basic pay.
Our negotiating team are trying to ensure that the company offer includes progress on pay.
Some of you may wish to take part in some of the major events taking place in Manchester over the next few weeks.
Stop The War
The Labour Party is holding its leadership conference in Manchester, at which the result of the deputy-leadership contest (UNITE is encouraging members to vote for Jon Cruddas) will be announced. The Stop the War Coalition has called a national demonstration in Manchester on the theme “Change Policy, Not Just Leader”:
Assemble 12 noon, Sunday 24th June, Albert Square (in front of Manchester town hall)
If you’re thinking of going, please let your reps know so that members can march together as a group.
In preparation for this, they are also holding a rally in Manchester:
7pm, Thursday 14th June (stalls from 6:30pm)
Mechanics Institute (corner of Major St and Princess St), Manchester City Centre
Speakers include:
· Rose Gentle and others from Military Families Against the War
· Lindsay German, national convenor, Stop the War Coalition
· Jeremy Corbyn, Labour MP
Carnival Against Climate Change
Last week’s branch meeting had an interesting discussion with a speaker from the Campaign Against Climate Change, which is organising a carnival in Manchester:
Carnival Against Climate Change
Assemble 1pm, Saturday 30th June
Peace Gardens, near St Peter’s Square, Manchester (by the town hall)
As well as a variety of speakers there will be a cycling contingent, samba band, African drum band, circus acts, stalls etc.
Sunvic Dispute
Last week’s newsletter reported on the UNITE members at Sunvic who had been out on strike for nearly three months. The reps committee sent them a message of support and a donation. We’re pleased to report that their employer has at last begun negotiations, so they are now back at work.
One of the gains from the negotiations during our dispute has been the establishment of a framework for union reps and officers to meet a group of managers on a monthly basis to keep an overview of issues affecting staff in the north-west.
Minutes are agreed at the following meeting, so there does tend to be a bit of a time-lag before publication on CafeVIK. This has been exacerbated by the (sensible) cancellation of some meetings to give priority to resolving the dispute.
As a result, the last published minutes were from February. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday 21st June, after which the April minutes should be published. If you have items for the agenda, please let us know as soon as possible.
Don’t forget that UNITE is holding a series of meetings this week where our negotiating team will report back from the dispute talks. These are open to you and your colleagues (whether they’ve joined yet or not). Who can you bring along?
The talks continue to make progress, but important issues remain to be resolved. At this stage it would not be appropriate to make a written report, so please make the effort to attend one of the sessions that suits your diary:
| Day | Time | Venue |
| Tuesday 5th June |
12:30 – 13:00 | 33 G CR2 |
| 13:30 – 14:00 | 33 G CR2 | |
| 14:30 – 15:00 | 33 G CR2 | |
| Thursday 7th June |
10:00 – 10:30 | 33 G CR2 |
| 11:00 – 11:30 | 33 G CR2 | |
| 12:00 – 12:30 | 33 G CR2 |
If your manager might need to arrange cover for you to attend, please ask them for release straight away. Having six sessions rather than all going at once (like an EGM) should mean we can all attend without any difficulty. HR are writing out to all our managers encouraging them to release people. Any problems – please contact your rep without delay.
Once the company makes a formal offer, UNITE will hold an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) to discuss it in detail before it is put to the vote.