Basis of Consultation

Trade unions across Europe have won changes to the law giving workers more rights to be informed and consulted about a number of decisions affecting their employment. You already have legal rights to be consulted over issues including redundancies, transfers from one company to another, and over Health & Safety matters.

These rights are due to be further extended by the implementation of the European Directive on Information and Consultation.

Further legislation introduced "European Works Councils" (bodies where workers' representatives meet management) to encourage more general consultation with the workforce. Because the last Tory government opted out of the "social chapter", Britain was not covered by this legislation to begin with. However, ICL set up a European Works Council (called the European Consultative Forum, or ECF) back in 1995. ICL set up the ECF early to get in before the legislation came into effect in Europe in September 1996.

Further legislation introduced "works councils" (bodies where workers' representatives meet management) to encourage more general consultation with the workforce. Because the last Tory government opted out of the "social chapter", Britain was not covered by this legislation to begin with. However, ICL set up a European Works Council (called the European Consultative Forum, or ECF) back in 1995. ICL set up the ECF early to get in before the legislation came into effect in Europe in September 1996.

In 2000, after Britain signed up to the social chapter, ICL set up a UK version - the UK Consultative Forum or UKCF. DMR and AGS also had their own consultative bodies.. In April 2002, part of ICL in the UK combined with DMR, AGS and FSE to form Fujitsu Consulting, and set up the Fujitsu Consulting UK Consultative Forum.

What is the situation in Fujitsu Consulting?

There are currently elections for your representatives on the Fujitsu Consulting UKCF. Representation is based on three geographical constituencies:

North (Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Kidsgrove, Manchester, Newcastle, Wakefield, Wilmslow, Wythenshaw, Warrington)

2 seats

Midlands (Solihull, Cardiff, Birmingham, Bristol, Gloucester)

2 seats

South (Basingstoke, Bracknell, Egham, Hayes, Home based, Lewes, London, Slough, Stevenage, Winneresh)

3 seats, apparently includes homeworkers too.

How important is the forum?

The forum is not going to change the way Fujitsu Consulting works overnight. However, UNITE has been building up pressure for less secrecy, and for more democracy and accountability at work for some time. We see making the forum effective as a step along this road.

For employees to have a really effective voice, we need more than consultation. We need independent organisation, negotiation, and campaigning. Forums like this can be useful, but are no substitute for effective trade union organisation.

The Fujitsu Consulting UKCF already has some track record of advocating and protecting employee interests. Union and non-union members work together. However, where it proves impossible to reach a satisfactory resolution, reps who are not union members have few options. They can't turn to a union-funded solicitor for advice. How could they fund and launch legal action to protect your interests, if that was necessary (as some of the UNITE members on the Fujitsu Services UKCF have over their redundancies)? Employee interests are best protected if union and Consultative Forum structures work together in close co-operation. These are all reasons why electing union members to represent you makes sense.

Now that every Fujitsu Consulting employee has the right to be represented by their trade union in grievance or disciplinary matters, every employee needs to be IN a trade union to take advantage of that right.

Who does UNITE recommend we vote for?

North:

---, Alan Black

South:

Sheila Leatherdale, Chetan Bhatt

Midlands:

Andy Batchelor, Paul Lewis

All these candidates are sympathetic to trade unionism. Some are currently UNITE members, others are in other unions. Several have experience of acting as union reps in the past.

In the North and Midlands, you will get two votes. In the South, you get three votes. However, we recommend that you vote ONLY for two UNITE-supported candidates, to maximise their chances of success.

Of course, if these members are elected, they will be representing all the staff in their constituencies, not just union members.

Get in touch with your local union contact, the candidates, or the union's IT Professionals Association (ITPA), if you want to help with the election campaign, or get involved with the union in other ways.

How will the elections work?

Nominations have closed, and ballot forms will be going out soon. Please make sure you vote straight away.

What can I do to help?

We've not got a monopoly on ideas, but how about:

• Voting for us.
• Persuading your workmates to vote for us.
• We'll soon have a flyer giving some information about the election - contact Rep if you're willing to help distribute some.
• Join the union, if you're not a member yet. There’s a recruitment competition currently running in Fujitsu. New members, and those who recruit them, can currently win prizes.
• Get involved in the union - whatever you can do.