Tuesday 10 July 2007

Vodacom fight for recognition


We still await news from the CAC about our recognition claim for Regional Operations North, although early indication is that the company has not formally requested a ballot.

You may be aware that union organising in Vodafone is not limited to the UK . CWU South Africa is also organising for recognition in the face of extreme opposition in Vodacom South Africa . This has included management opposition and intimidation of union members, including locking out of union members for wearing union t-shirts.

The Connect Vodafone branch has written the following message of solidarity, sent via the international trade union network UNI.

We are writing to you from Vodafone UK , via our trade union, Connect. We are fighting for recognition here too and believe we are on the verge of an independent voice at work in part of the UK operation.

We have heard about your struggle and are writing to express our support and solidarity. We are with you in spirit and send our best wishes to our South African colleagues. Please stay strong and remember that your fellow Vodafone employees around the world are thinking of you.

Connect Vodafone branch.


More information can be found on the CWU members blog, which includes background information about the behaviour of the company and also links to an email you can send in support of the workers. Please take a moment to look at this and support it if you can.

http://www.cwuvodacom.blogspot.com/

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi,

I have read your blogg with interest and sympathy. I am a member of Connect's Vodafone branch and a Vodafone shareholder I'm not happy with the attitude they are consistently taking with their employees union recognition claims.It's about time that Vodafone and it's associated companies started to take a more grown up and enlightened attitude towards unions like yours and mine. They should really be engageing with employees on a serious level. I will be making the ethical shopping guides and the investment companies that I have money invested in aware because Vodafones attitude is not ethical.

Good Luck.

A. (Connect Vodafone branch member).

Anonymous said...

Thank you for your well thought out and intelligent comments.

Vodafone really should see that Connect's aims are in many respects broadly aligned to one of their key objectives...delivering excellent employee experience.

Connect have learned a wealth of best practice and it should be noted that O2, were Connect are recognised rated far higher in the much talked about Times best places to work.

It is indeed time that employees were seriously engaged and our view formed a core feed into the companies decision making.

Ethical investing is a really interesting angle that I've not considered before. Part of my understanding of a ethical company would include that workers have an independent (trade union) voice. Ethical funds however make it up as they go along...

But surely activates as described on the linked CWU bog would make anyone sick?

As you suggest all of us with money in ethical funds should make our objections clear to the provider, after all, its our money so why not be strong in our convictions?

A slight side thought but for 200 shareholder you can get a proposal read at the agm...