Unite campaign to stop the privatisation of Jersey Telecom
Monday, January 21st, 2008Overview
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.”