A union for communications professionals has been granted formal recognition by mobile telecoms giant Vodafone for the first time.
A decision from the Central Arbitration Committee means that Vodafone will be forced to consult with Connect on the pay, hours and holidays of workers joined up to the union.
Connect applied for legally enforced recognition after calls from Vodafone staff for a union to give them a stronger voice in the workplace. Vodafone refused to recognise the union and has resisted throughout, according to Connect.
The decision covers workers responsible for keeping the company’s network running across the Midlands, North of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Connect has also submitted a further claim for recognition in the South of England.
Adrian Askew, general secretary at Connect, said: “This is a landmark victory for our members in Vodafone, and it is a tribute to how they have come together to demand a say in their working lives.
“Vodafone workers are calling loud and clear for a voice at work that is independent and professional. Our membership growth in the company has shown that even in the biggest of blue-chip companies, employees understand that trade unions are still the only way to secure a truly independent voice,” he added.
