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Unite Amicus Section has launched a petition to stop the sale of one of the world’s last publicly owned telecom companies, Jersey Telecom (JT).

Unite Amicus Section has been campaigning for several months to prevent the privatisation of JT and has now launched a petition to gain public support. The union is arguing that although the sale will raise a one-off sum, the long term effects of a sale will be bad news for Jersey. Unite Amicus Section believes that if JT is bought by a multinational telecoms giant they will be able to develop a monopoly on the island which could mean higher prices. The sale would also mean up to a third of the workforce could lose their jobs and if JT is sold off, other public companies are sure to suffer the same fate.

Unite Amicus Section believes that privatisation would have a far more damaging impact on Jersey than past similar privatisations in the UK as skilled workers won’t be able to travel for alternative jobs because employment prospects on the island are limited.

A further problem facing the JT workforce is that there is no employment rights protection on the island and without this the workforce are particularly vulnerable to a future multinational owner that as well as slashing jobs will also seek to downgrade staff’s terms and conditions and pension.

The States of Jersey has a parliament of 53 States Members without party political allegiance. Unite Amicus Section wants its members at JT to lobby their political representatives to get them to vote against the sale in the autumn.

For more information about the campaign contact Liane Groves

LATEST NEWS
5 November 2007
Unite, the union representing the Jersey Telecom workforce, has today expressed its concerns over the decision by the States of Jersey to further postpone the debate over the sale of the company from 20 November to some time in January 2008.

Peter Skyte, Unite National Officer, said:

“Whilst we remain opposed to the principle of the sale on the grounds that we believe that this is not in the interests of the Jersey economy and Islanders, the company or the workforce, continuing delay is in no one’s interests.

All this does is inhibit Jersey Telecom in planning for the future and continues the uncertainty and insecurity for the workforce.

Irrespective of the eventual decision by the States of Jersey, we recognise that the telecom sector is highly competitive and that Jersey Telecom will inevitably have to evolve and change in response. As a union we are not opposed to change, as long as change is managed, involves the workforce and safeguards their interests.”

Union leaders, employers and Minister for Skills David Lammy will today (Friday) set out the skills challenge facing the UK finance sector at a seminar hosted by unionlearn, the TUC’s learning and skills organisation.

The finance sector has grown by 5.5 per cent a year since 2002 and currently accounts for eight per cent of GDP. The industry now employs over a million workers.

Despite this progress, a recent Treasury review of City competitiveness warned that the financial sector is vulnerable to offshoring. The latest report from the Financial Services Sector Council (FSSC) also highlighted critical skills needs across the sector. At today’s seminar, a range of experts will identify the steps needed to meet this challenge.

The event has been organised by unionlearn, Unite, Alliance for Finance and is also being supported by the FSSC.

Speaking at the skills seminar, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber will say: ‘Financial services have been the powerhouse of the British economy in recent years. But we can’t afford to be complacent. The finance sector relies heavily on high-level skills and unless we can meet this demand we will lose our world-leader status.

‘Much work is already under way. Unions are working with employers, the Government and the FSSC to develop a skills agreement for the finance sector. We are encouraging employers to sign up to the Skills Pledge and support the development of new apprenticeships such as those for investment administrators and financial advisers.

‘Where employers have worked with unions, through our network of union learning reps, to improve skills at work the results have been impressive. But more has to be done. Training is needed throughout the finance industry - not just for managers and professionals but also for junior staff, who want careers in finance but are often shackled by dead-end low-paid jobs. Only by working together can we hope to meet this huge skills challenge.’

Minister for Skills David Lammy said: ‘The finance sector is at the heart of the British economy, and continued skills development in the sector is vital to our success and prosperity. It is good to see the FSSC working closely with Unite and the Alliance for Finance to promote the skills agenda in the sector, to ensure that every employee has access to high quality training.’

Unite Deputy General Secretary, Graham Goddard said: ‘Unite has long argued the importance of raising the skills level of all employees in the financial services sector, in order for the workforce to be able to compete on the world stage. Employees are without doubt an organisation’s greatest asset and the skills implications of the globalisation phenomenon are considerable. It is vital that workers are given the opportunity to enhance their qualifications - only then will this country be able to maintain a competitive edge.

‘Unite will continue to campaign for organisations to take a long-term view of training and skills development, only then will employees have the opportunity to make career choices in a rapidly changing employment market.’

Speakers at the seminar, which will be chaired by John Earls, Research Section Head at Unite and FSSC board member, include TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber, Minister for Skills David Lammy MP, and Teresa Sayers, Chief Executive of the Financial Services Skills Council.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

- Register for the TUC’s press extranet: a service exclusive to journalists wanting to access pre-embargo releases and reports from the TUC. Visit www.tuc.org.uk/pressextranet

Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Rob Holdsworth T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk
Saba Mozakka, Unite Press Office on: 020 7420 8916 or 07768 693 953.

Press release (700 words) issued 11 Jan 2008