UK - NATS Pay negotiations - latest rumours

[PeltonLevel]

Changing union

A belated response to Loxley's suggestion and Mr777's question on 9th.April

On a serious note, how would we theoretically go about getting a new Union to represent us?

I outlined the process in my post on 30th March:
There are three main grounds for derecognition (see http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=RESOURCES&itemId=1074439033):

• the employer no longer employs 21 or more workers
• the union no longer has enough support from workers in the bargaining unit - the group of workers the union represents
• union membership in the bargaining unit falls below 50 per cent

Presumably we are considering the second case here

Derecognition owing to lack of support - worker application
A worker (or workers) from the bargaining unit can apply to the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) for derecognition - but only where no such similar application has been made in the past three years. If the CAC accepts the application as valid, it will try to help the workers, union and employer reach an agreement on derecognition. If an agreement is not reached, the CAC will arrange a secret ballot to test worker support for derecognition. However, it will do this only if it believes that:
- at least 10 per cent of the workers in the bargaining unit favour derecognition, and
- a majority of the workers in the bargaining unit are likely to favour derecognition
A union will be derecognised as a result of the ballot if a majority of those voting and at least 40 per cent of those entitled to vote favour derecognition.