ntl staff to strike???

[Neil]

This just landed in my inbox.......

http://www.bectu.org.uk/news/ib/ni0131.html

BECTU General Secretary Roger Bolton said: "We believed that ntl had turned the corner financially, after many difficult years. During those years our members have supported the company through these difficult times and suffered significant job losses. Not satisfied with this, the company now wish to take away their right to proper payments for unsociable working and the right to a family life outside of ntl. Our members have shown in this ballot their determination to resist these draconian measures."

Originally Posted by Neil

This just landed in my inbox.......

http://www.bectu.org.uk/news/ib/ni0131.html

This, of course, only relates to Broadcast staff. But I don't blame them and would do the same.

Some sites, not many, though are dual with broadcast, networks and business people in the same building.

I dont know what would happen if the broadcast guys set up a picket. What would the Networks and Business people do? Cross it or not?

[orangebird]

Originally Posted by Neil

This just landed in my inbox.......

http://www.bectu.org.uk/news/ib/ni0131.html

This concerns the Broadcast Business, so shouldn't really affect members here too much

[Neil]

Originally Posted by orangebird

This concerns the Broadcast Business, so shouldn't really affect members here too much

Really?

BECTU's members provide a transmission service for ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, commercial radio including Classic FM, and digital TV and radio services. They also provide a significant part of the radio communications for the emergency services: fire, ambulance and police (including the Metropolitan Police), across the country.

Originally Posted by Neil

Really?

Quite correct, if they went on strike it could well disrupt ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 broadcasts.

However, they would not be allowed to disrupt services for the emergency services, saying that though they obviously would not be on hand to repair police, ambulance and fire radio sets.

[orangebird]

Of course, I'm spouting a load of crap. I forgot you both work at ntl and I don't, therefore I actually wouldn't have a clue........

[Neil]

Originally Posted by orangebird

Of course, I'm spouting a load of crap. I forgot you both work at ntl and I don't, therefore I actually wouldn't have a clue........

*Ahem*

No one suggested you were spouting crap, but we just don't agree with what you are saying bout members not being affected by this strike.

Pierre works for ntl, I (as you know :pp ) don't.

But if TV channels are potentially to be affected, then surely most peeps on here would be affected?

As long as I still have my UK gold and discovery channel I am a happy bunny

[Escapee]

Originally Posted by orangebird

Of course, I'm spouting a load of crap. I forgot you both work at ntl and I don't, therefore I actually wouldn't have a clue........

The Home division could be next though!

I assume you were about at the time when ntl did a deal with this union, I understand that the Communication Workers Union were handing out leaflets to employees after the ntl/cwc deal as they left ntl premises to drum up some new members.
ntl were obviously concerned by these actions and struck an exclusive deal with a union that appeared a bit more tame and not as powerfull as the CWU.
The company has always been anti-union, and the deal was the better of both evils for their part.

Lets hope their actions have bitten them on the bum.

The broadcast had a lot of problems similar to the home division, where long term employees have been forced to sign new contracts costing themselves thousands of pounds a year, in some cases employees have been told "sign the new contract or you will be sacked"
Employees in the broadcast division were not only paid different rates but the new starters were not entitled to many of the benefits that existing employyes were receiving, this resulted in a two tier system with a lot of resentment amongst employees.

I know this is the case from my involvement in compiling a letter for an employee that was affected, he ended up getting £3K to take him one step closer to the amount that he was being underpaid compared to his fellow workers but only after the threat of legal action against the company.

ntl the caring and fair employer.

[shocked]

Let Me Strike Aswell!!!!

The Home division could be next though!

As fun as it might be, it is most unlikely.

The Broadcast guys are mostly from either the IBA and or the Home Office, before ntl was formed. These guys contracts were/are very good compared to the standard ntl contract which itself is based on the old CableTel contract.

When everybody was forced to take up the new term and conditions in 2000 the Broadcast guys didn't as it was envisaged that broadcast would be sold off. This now appears unlikely so the company are trying to bring in terms and conditions that are better for the company. They have even offered the broadcast guys a £500 signing on fee, even tough it is patently obvious that the field guys will be £thousands worse of.

There is no need for ntl:Home/Business/Networks to strike as they are already on the latest T&Cs.

There is no way Broadcast are going to agree these T&Cs which will make the next few weeks very interesting.

If they do strike some people will be in the dilemma of having to cross a picket or not.

[Escapee]

Originally Posted by Pierre

As fun as it might be, it is most unlikely.

The Broadcast guys are mostly from either the IBA and or the Home Office, before ntl was formed. These guys contracts were/are very good compared to the standard ntl contract which itself is based on the old CableTel contract.

When everybody was forced to take up the new term and conditions in 2000 the Broadcast guys didn't as it was envisaged that broadcast would be sold off. This now appears unlikely so the company are trying to bring in terms and conditions that are better for the company. They have even offered the broadcast guys a £500 signing on fee, even tough it is patently obvious that the field guys will be £thousands worse of.

There is no need for ntl:Home/Business/Networks to strike as they are already on the latest T&Cs.

There is no way Broadcast are going to agree these T&Cs which will make the next few weeks very interesting.

If they do strike some people will be in the dilemma of having to cross a picket or not.

Their terms were far better than the CableTel contracts in every respect.

I was on a CableTel contract and the Broadcast guys were better off in every respect, I remember their callout allowance was outstanding compared to the measly £14 that CableTel were paying. They also had good overnight accomodation allowance and a daily meal allowance.

I was talking to a few Broadcast employees after they introduced the new terms for new employees, and 2 guys working alongside one another were treated very differently, and it caused a lot of bad feeling between employees. I know the same happened with the guys from Broadcast who were taken into ntl business, their T&C's were far superior to the CableTel/ntl ones.

I wuld really love to see employees get together and stand up for themselves, they have been walked over for far too long. I have said for a long time when the market picks up the company will pay the price for the shoddy way they treat technical employees.

[the devil]

Originally Posted by Pierre

As fun as it might be, it is most unlikely.

The Broadcast guys are mostly from either the IBA and or the Home Office, before ntl was formed. These guys contracts were/are very good compared to the standard ntl contract which itself is based on the old CableTel contract.

When everybody was forced to take up the new term and conditions in 2000 the Broadcast guys didn't as it was envisaged that broadcast would be sold off. This now appears unlikely so the company are trying to bring in terms and conditions that are better for the company. They have even offered the broadcast guys a £500 signing on fee, even tough it is patently obvious that the field guys will be £thousands worse of.

There is no need for ntl:Home/Business/Networks to strike as they are already on the latest T&Cs.

There is no way Broadcast are going to agree these T&Cs which will make the next few weeks very interesting.

If they do strike some people will be in the dilemma of having to cross a picket or not.

I think that a strike would be good for all staff here, the company takes too many liberties when changing hours & conditions of employment. There was a time when companies actually treated their staff well because they realised that without them the company would suffer, nowadays jobs are not easy to come by so companies abuse their position as employers.