DIGITALEYEProspect members in communications, media and digital

www.prospect.org.uk • Issue 2, July 2013

REBUILDING TRUST IS THE KEY CHALLENGE

“A cold fog sapping the life from BT” was how assistant secretary Aveen McHugh described the devastating impact of performance

management on staff and managers forced to carry out the process.

McHugh was introducing a debate at the BT sector conference in Nottingham on this thorny issue. She said the feeling was not unique to BT; it was happening in finance and spreading to parts of the public sector, including the Ministry of Defence.

Also in the audience were conference guests Neil Hayward, BT group director employee relations and performance; Claire Shenton, head of performance management; and Linda Kelly, head of employee relations.

McHugh said though the issue was incredibly difficult, in some ways it was quite simple: “Really it is all about trust. Trusting your employer to deal with you fairly and honestly. Trusting line managers to allow them to make an evidence-based assessment of performance. And trusting that you stick to the terms of an agreement when you make it.”

But in practice, performance management in parts of BT had smashed that trust, and once gone it was hard to rebuild. “We have an agreement, but that’s not the issue – it is the implementation and complete obsession with the distribution of ratings and using that to try to drive people out through managed exits.”

She said things had improved for a while after the 2010 agreement, and some parts of the business were better than others – for example there had been improvements in retail.

But last autumn the position started getting noticeably worse in many areas of the company. “More rumours of expected distributions – nothing

ABOUT 100 delegates gathered for two days in Nottingham in June to debate the key issues facing members in BT and throughout the IT and telecoms industry, and set policy for the next two years.

Delegates voted for a new name – the Communications, Media and Digital sector – and elected a new president, Jane Colclough, as Denise McGuire stands down after 19 years.

Prospect general secretary Mike Clancy addressed the Connect conference about the economic, political and workplaces challenges ahead. “We are in the most hostile environment I can remember in my trade union career,” he said. “Your morale as our representative base, your confidence in what Prospect stands for – our offering to existing and prospective members – and the choices you make daily are going to determine our success.”

He urged reps to redouble their efforts to retain members and recruit new ones, backed by the union’s staff.

Clancy and Colclough presented the sector’s organising awards – to Alan Smith, regional organiser BT Home Counties network; Nigel Hobman, Telefónica North East; the

BT Openreach industrial relations committee; and an award for overall recruitment and retention performance to Telefónica Scotland and Northern Ireland, collected by Gemma Bottomley and Stuart Fisher (pictured, inset above).

Delegates stood for a minute’s applause in memory of long-standing rep Geoff Potter (obituary, page 8).

Earlier Phil Dowd, a Premier League professional football referee and Prospect member, entertained delegates at a conference dinner.

After the conferences, deputy general secretary Dai Hudd said: “I was impressed by the level of debate and proud to hear about the valiant work of case handlers and other reps in supporting members through these tough times.

“I look forward to working with colleagues to challenge companies’ efforts to reduce costs through job cuts, pay restraint, increased workloads and the aggressive application of performance management systems. Recruiting new members and attracting young people into Prospect are crucial to our success.”

■■ Connect■conference■–■pages■2-3■and■7;■BT■conference■–■pages■4-5

Outsourcing by Telefónica UK, performance management in BT, equality at work and recruiting young professionals were among vital issues debated by reps in June

Conference pictures: John Birdsall Photography

Prospect • DigitalEye – July 2013■■ continues■page■7

Reps set agenda for tough times ahead

‘Your confidence in what Prospect stands for… and the choices you make daily are going to determine our success’

Prospect • DigitalEye – July 2013

2

SUPPORT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMSCONFERENCE instructed the sector executive to encourage branches to work with employers and members to ensure that policies are in place to support women and men suffering from domestic violence.

Moving the motion, Jane Colclough (sector executive) said the extent of gender-based violence – such as rape, torture, female genital mutilation – both globally and in the UK was truly horrifying.

She highlighted how unions had successfully influenced the UN Commission on the Status of Women to recognise the right of unions as

stakeholders to push for agreements in the workplace to help victims and

survivors of violence.John Grant (BT Adastral

Park A, pictured right) moved a successful motion pressing the executive to explore how to gain Prospect-wide support for Amnesty International and its work on trade union and human rights

issues. For the executive, Anthony Foster said there had been a long tradition pre-merger of supporting Amnesty’s work.

SECTOR CONFERENCE

CONFERENCE DECISIONSSee■how■members■voted■on■all■Connect■sector■and■BT■conference■motions■at■http://bit.ly/CSdecisions

New name reflects industry Prospect’s Connect sector has voted to change its name to the Communications, Media and Digital sectorDELEGATES PASSED a motion agreeing a change to the rules. Mover Caroline Sansom (sector executive) said the point of the new name was to reflect the industries that members operate in, both now and in the future.

Since the merger with Prospect, the name ‘Connect’ had mainly been used internally. But among employers, the union was now known as ‘Prospect’.

The new name also fitted well with the rebranded sector journal, DigitalEye.

Philip Williams (BT Greater London Central) felt that Connect was a well-known and valued brand and joked that a shortened version of the new name could be CoMeDi.

Andy Beck (BT Mid Yorkshire) was also uneasy, as he felt members had not been consulted.

But Martin Aylett (sector executive) argued that it was time to change and move forward in line with the industries the union deals with. He added that the proposal had been published in advance conference documents and therefore consultation had occurred. Delegates agreed and carried the motion.

Committee electedDELEGATES ELECTED a new sector executive committee for the next two years. They are: Martin Aylett, Jane Colclough, Keith Flett, Steve Dickson, Alan Gooden, Jim Halliday, Tom Machell, Denise McGuire, Philip O’Rawe, Caroline Sansom, and Barrie Worth.

Jane Colclough (right) was elected sector president. She replaces Denise McGuire (above), who stood down as sector president after 19 years.

To warm applause, Jim Halliday (sector executive) thanked Denise McGuire for her contribution, saying she had become president in Bournemouth in 1994. Since then she had led the sector during a period of immense changes, including recognition battles, the move from STE to Connect and the merger with Prospect.

“Denise knows us all personally and professionally. She’s always there. If something happens to you in your life she will help as a friend and a colleague,” he said.

She will remain on the sector executive and continue as vice-president on the national Prospect presidential team.

YOUNG REP CHALLENGE DELEGATES voted to support Prospect’s Young Rep Challenge of having at least one member aged under 30 sitting on every branch, section or sub-section committee by the time of national conference in May 2014.

Moving the motion, James Thorp (BT London Central East and South) said that Prospect has just under 5,500 members aged 30 and under – around 4 per cent of the membership. Of these 140 are reps.

He said: “By increasing the number of young reps in the union, the campaign aims to increase recruitment of young members, something we all need to take an active role in.”

It would make the union more attractive to young people if those who are already members get involved and take on active roles. “As members, we are the best people to explain and persuade young people to be part of it.”

This was vital as many senior reps were leaving workplaces on redundancy packages or early release schemes.

■■ ‘Moving■jobs?■Why■you■should■stay■in■Prospect’,■page■8

■■ Sansom ■■ Williams ■■ Beck

RECRUITMENT WAS a key theme at conference, and the topic at a special workshop*. Delegates noted that Prospect’s membership is concentrated in BT, and pressed the executive to investigate measures to improve recruitment across the whole telecoms and IT industry, including where there is no union recognition.

Delegates also voted for the executive to:

● Produce guidance on precautions for reps and members who collect and hold information on potential disciplinary and grievance issues “to avoid accusations of mishandling confidential company information.” Speakers cited instances where individuals had been penalised for emailing information from their work address to their personal address.

● Work with BT Adastral branches to explore and progress the most appropriate method of gaining Prospect-wide support for adhering to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Initiative Scope levels.

GREETINGS FROM UNIDELEGATES welcomed guest speaker Pav Akhtar, director of the professional and managerial group at UNI Global Union, representing 900 trade unions in around 150 countries.

He outlined many common issues between delegates and the work of UNI – “collective bargaining, social protection and greater worker rights on issues like good work, outsourcing and offshoring, performance management systems, increasing representation of women and young workers, and meeting the challenges of a more skilled workforce.”

The global economy would have 40 million fewer managers and professionals by 2020 – a real crisis in terms of growing economies – he said. UNI was working to build local campaigns, national lobbying and achieve global agreements with companies like EDF and Telefónica.

■■ http://bit.ly/UNIqualifications

MEMBERS AT Telefónica UK face uncertain futures with the news that the company is outsourcing its call centres to Capita, conference heard.

Delegates instructed the sector executive to work closely with all parties concerned to protect members’ long-term job security, pay, terms and conditions, pension and redundancy provisions and union recognition rights.

The executive was urged to work with colleagues in other parts of Prospect where a relationship with Capita already exists to develop effective working relationships across the group.

Moving the motion, Gemma Bottomley (Telefónica industrial relations committee) said the outsourcing from the Voice section would affect more than 3,000 people, 400 within Prospect grades.

“This raises several questions over the effects on our staff and what that means for customer service moving forward. This is a vast pace of transformation and a time of uncertainty, particularly when there is a lack of faith within the company due to leaked documents to the press.”

The union had successfully negotiated two years’ protection of terms and conditions and job security but it was vital to negotiate for the longer term.

Steven Roberts (Telefónica North West)

said the current climate in the company was at an all-time low. Prospect had been in many discussions where the company had said it wanted to work with the union for the best solution.

But reps had been summoned at 24 hours’ notice and told 3,700 jobs would be outsourced to Capita, and a call centre was being developed in South Africa.

There was also speculation about the future of the sites at Bury and Glasgow. “It’s a really difficult time and I can’t underestimate the support we need to drive this forward.”

Arvind Ladwa (Telefónica South) said members had faced many difficult TUPE situations in recent years. “We’ve secured two-year protection so far but who knows what will happen at two years one day? It’s an uphill battle.”

Tom Machell (sector executive) said the Spanish-owned company’s asset stripping was another consequence of the banking crisis and pledged the committee’s support for the motion.

Recruitment, good work and more…

● Oppose the government’s introduc-tion of ‘employee shareholder status’, where rights are traded for shares.

● Promote good practice in agile working across the industry – the motion highlighted Yahoo’s recent decision to end this for its employees.

● Monitor both job segregation and age demographics and work with employers and branches to increase the numbers of women working in areas currently underrepresented, in particular in IT roles.

● Press employers for a workplace culture that appreciates diversity and enables employees with disabilities to thrive, and promote Prospect’s disability and other networks.

● Promote Prospect’s ‘good work’ agenda and incorporate its principles in all negotiations with employers.

● Work to improve safeguards around migrant workers’ terms and conditions and ensure resident workers’ wages are not undercut.

■■ For■the■conference■debate■on■broadband,■see■page■7.

■■ *■Two■other■workshops■were■well■attended■–■covering■digital■organising■and■international■development.

Prospect • DigitalEye – July 2013

3SECTOR CONFERENCE

■■ Ladwa■■ Bottomley ■■ Roberts

Uphill battle to save Telefónica jobs

Prospect • DigitalEye – July 2013

4 BT CONFERENCE

DELEGATES INSTRUCTED the BT committee to seek significant improvements in the way performance management is implemented in BT and, if those are not forthcoming, to consider “the possibility of balloting for industrial action”.

Moving the successful motion, Fiona Clarkson (BT Leicester) described the typical scenario facing a case handler. “I’m at my desk juggling spreadsheets and emails and the phone rings. It’s a member who’s obviously distressed. Their story is often similar – along the lines of: ‘I’ve worked for the company for 30 years and never had less than a good performance marking, but for the last x quarters I’ve been marked down.

“ ‘I don’t understand what my manager wants me to do. Whatever I do to change it, it’s wrong. I feel they are out to get me out of the company. I can’t sleep, I‘m taking tablets, I’ve been signed off sick… I don’t know what to do next.’

“These individuals are on the performance management treadmill, often for spurious reasons, and they are suffering. None of this is helpful to BT”

Supporting, Adam Gheasuddin (BT Central London) said HR was turning a blind eye. “We all have a part to play in the growth of BT, but we can only achieve this if the company recognises what people are contributing to the organisation. Performance management does exactly the opposite.”

He had seen countless examples of members marked down without prior warning, compared with others who were not their peers, receiving high markings one year and ‘development needed’ the next under a new manager.

Members who are managers had told Graham Blunden (BT Swindon) they were fed up of doing PM because it was so time-consuming and they were being forced to differentiate in small teams, where all staff were performing well. They wondered if they could refuse to

Time to stop this ‘monster’, BT reps tell conferenceAdults in tears, who see no way out – the damage caused by the punitive and relentless performance management treadmill is immense. Penny Vevers reports from this year’s BT conference

participate in the process. “I said it wasn’t a good idea because it could be construed as unofficial industrial action. But the question illustrates the strength of feeling.”

Tom Machell (BT committee) said the company had created a monster. “It has replaced the managing of people with the measuring of people. But it’s not just measuring people, it’s doing so to a predetermined outcome.”

Tim Handley (BT Stoke on Trent) said forced distribution was not only offensive but confusing, with managers saying one thing and HR another. “Can anyone demonstrate where PM supports BT shareholder value, customer experience and profitability?” Forced distribution in BT had reached the status of a belief, an article of faith. “It’s not a rational system.”

Ian Varnes (BT Mid Yorkshire) added: “We’re all here for one reason: to make BT a successful company and a great place to work. We’re here to deliver value to our customers, shareholders and employees.”

But the PM process had people living in a climate of fear, not wanting to innovate or go the extra mile in case they got it wrong and were marked down. “Should we have grown adults with years of experience degraded to

“It’s wrong that good, decent, hard-working people are told that they are not good enough to satisfy some statistical fantasy”

■■ Clarkson■–■‘distressed■members’

■■ Gheasuddin■–■HR■turning■a■‘blind■eye’

■■ Machell–■‘measuring,■not■managing’

■■ Blunden■–■‘managers■forced■to■differentiate’

GRADUATE SCHEME, WORK-LIFE BALANCE, TOIL, PAY… MEMBERS also voted for the BT committee to:

● Work with Prospect young professionals to develop a bargaining agenda for BT’s graduate scheme.

● Monitor the roll-out of BT’s Lean Ways of Working programme to ensure ‘unreasonable expectations’ are not made of members.

● Keep up the pressure for a healthy work-life balance, especially when resourcing levels are being reduced, including to refresh Prospect’s WorkTime YourTime campaign materials and remind members that time off in lieu applies to everyone in the reward framework.

● Work with BT to ensure that Band 1 managers who cannot take their TOIL are automatically offered overtime payments.

● Tackle pay interface issues between first line managers and team members, particularly

in London, by ensuring their basic salary is higher than that of their team members.

● Campaign for long service awards at ten years with the company.

● Pursue widespread concerns about age discrimination in BT.

● Provide regular refresher training for case handlers, and continue to support the case handlers’ network.

● Deal with a wide range of concerns about the operation of the grievance process, including the time taken, quality of decisions, lack of clarity of process around grievances relating to performance rating, need for guidance on the use of mediation and to monitor outcomes.

● Press BT to improve engagement with the union on the sustainability agenda.

Personal experiencesREPS shared their own experiences of PM in their day jobs, including:

● An operations manager who had been told to deliver expected distribution ratings across a team of around 20, or be seen as failing. He knew his own manager was under similar pressure and he described how the process was generating cynicism.

● A line manager who had his decisions questioned, investigated and judged and his ability to differentiate his team derided.

● Someone who had moved to a new team as one of six managers. But after a few months, four were no longer there, as consequence of PM, even though he felt they had been good at their jobs.

Prospect • DigitalEye – July 2013

5BT CONFERENCE

the point where they are in floods of tears to a stranger on the phone? That’s not the company treating us well and people are not going to deliver results through that kind of intimidation.” He had had people on the line talking about taking their own lives, and imagined this was shared by other case handlers.

Kuldip Singh (BT Oswestry) recounted his own horror at hearing a number of people talking about ending their own lives during a Midlands-wide conference call in the autumn – “tearful people, very upset.” He used the analogy of Liverpool football club to demonstrate how individual team members contribute a different range of skills that improve overall team performance.

Colin Lightfoot (BT Newcastle & Middlesbrough) dreaded switching on his mobile phone or opening emails in the mornings. One Sunday morning he listened to a voice message left at 1.30am. It was a member in tears explaining that her job, role and life were falling apart because she had been given a ‘development needed’ mark following a record as a top performer. She had been told it was probably in her interest to ‘take one for the team’. “It’s an evil and it’s got to stop,” he said.

If senior managers and HR were abusing, ignoring or misunderstanding performance descriptors, they were the ones who should be marked as ‘development needed’, said Graham Skipp (BT London Central, East and South).

Members were ground down by the system, with no idea what would trip them up next, said Mary Henry (BT Thames and Wey Valley). “It’s not rational and it makes people very upset because they can’t see how this is fair.”

Richard Price (BT Coventry) agreed the process was “not fit for purpose”.

Andy Bailey (BT Mid Yorkshire) said PM was at risk of undermining Prospect’s good work. “The union needs to make it clear publicly that it’s going to take on the company head on over this.” But Neil Tucker (BT Brentwood) urged members to remember that they, too, are the union, not just the leaders.

James Hughes (BT South Wales) said: “It’s fundamentally and morally wrong that good, decent hardworking people are being told quarter after quarter that they are not good enough, simply to satisfy some statistical fantasy. I will give a ‘development needed’ mark where warranted, but too many people doing a good job are told they are not good enough.”

Geoff Lowndes (BT Stoke on Trent) called for teams

to work together on improving PM, and for intense negotiations between the unions and BT.

Kieron O’Toole (BT Birmingham) quoted from the book Seven Deadly Diseases of Management. Author W. Edwards Deming had said of PM: “‘It nourishes short-term performance, annihilates long-term planning, builds fear, demolishes team work, nourishes rivalry and politics.’ Everything I’ve heard so far today reinforces that.”

For Nick Stevens (BT London Southern) the message to management was: “We should be concentrating on core business, not punishing people doing good work.” Prospect’s survey had shown 47 per cent of managers had been threatened with being marked down for not demonstrating differentiation of marks across their team “even though the agreed policy states this can only be truly applied where there’s a team size of 100 plus.”

In reply, national secretary Ben Marshall said it had been a debate demonstrating enormous unity of purpose.

“You care about this not simply because of the way our members have been treated, because of the corruption you see in the PM system, but also because you see it damaging BT.”

There was a right way to do performance management, with managers awarding marks on the basis of evidence. But Prospect had never come across a case of anyone being forced to differentiate upwards, only downwards.

Delegates also voted for their committee to work with the Communication Workers’ Union to tackle this with BT in a coordinated way and backed a call to investigate and prevent situations where junior managers were punished for senior managers’ misuse of the PM process.

■■ Lightfoot■–■‘an■evil■that■must■stop’

■■ Marshall■–■‘you■care■because■you■see■it■damaging■BT’

‘We stand together in difficult times’Emma Gooding-Brown, Telefónica UK

■■ job■share■manager■of■contract■admin/bespoke■tariff■support■at■Arlington■business■centre,■Leeds

I BELIEVE in fairness and equality for all. I also understand that this isn’t possible when the only voice is your own.

I joined Prospect in February 2012 and became membership secretary in my workplace. By October I was a trained case handler. Over time colleagues had become more vocal about issues such as being paid less than their teams, pay rises below inflation, meaningless evaluation exercises and performance management.

O2 Telefónica is going through huge change. We’ve seen large numbers of people leave over time and watched work being outsourced. Now 3,700 jobs are to be transferred over to Capita.

Believing in strength in numbers, I came to conference to share what is happening within O2 with colleagues and gain their support. I also wanted to learn more about Prospect.

The process of deciding what motions to support is very democratic and while not everyone agrees with each point they always listen. When I supported a motion from our branch I was not only applauded but told “well done” by several people afterwards. Being nervous in front of such a large crowd, it meant a lot.

Prospect is full of people who are passionate, caring and supportive. I take back the message that we will all stand together in difficult times and that our views are similar on most things. Democracy and negotiation are where the real power lies.

‘I saw people unable to defend themselves’Geoff Lowndes, Global Services

■■ test■manager■in■NHS■programme,■■Stoke-on-Trent

I’VE BEEN in BT nearly 40 years. When I became a manager in 1990 I left the CWU. I was put off unions after a strike in which I

felt there had been no winners.Last year my colleague Tim Handley

finally persuaded me to join Prospect. As a manager I had recently investigated a grievance case. I saw inappropriate behaviour and people unable to defend themselves. I believe I have the abilities and capabilities to help people.

Conference is democratic, chaired and organised well, and I spoke several times. I was disappointed when my branch’s motion on bullying and harassment was narrowly defeated on the executive’s recommendation. Another debate was cut short because someone moved ‘next business’. I wish I’d understood the rules better – next time I’ll be more prepared.

Many of my comments were directed to the HR managers at the back of the hall. They must understand that the processes and systems they put in place can have an adverse effect on people’s lives. BT’s processes are generally good, however the implementation could be better.

Prospect’s biggest challenge is to attract young people, many of whom do not understand unions’ historic role in improving working conditions.

‘People need to know we’re taking action’James Hughes, BT South Wales

■■ lead■business■intelligence■consultant.■Home■based■but■travels■across■the■UK

I JOINED Prospect because I didn’t like the way BT performance-

managed our people. I had never required union help before and have never received a ‘development needed’ rating. But I didn’t believe that some of our people deserved their DN ratings.

I became principal officer for South Wales to find the most effective way to change things. I am now a case handler.

One of the most important things is how we recruit younger members. The media portrayal of unions when I grew up was negative and I didn’t see their benefit.

No one approached me from a union when I joined BT, and I lived in ignorance for 10 years. I began to understand the purpose and benefit of unions when I talked to others outside BT.

I spoke at conference four or five times as there were subjects I felt quite strongly about, particularly performance management.

We need to make members aware of what happens at conference and that we ARE taking action.

Prospect • DigitalEye – July 2013

6 FIRST-TIMERS

Our first conference

Universal broadband is essential to a democratic societyBROADBAND TECHNOLOGY is moving into new realms, such as NHS clinical diagnostics and triage, deputy general secretary Dai Hudd told conference. He was moving a successful motion instructing the sector executive to press government for a national framework to develop a comprehensive broadband policy.

“We all know about doing tax returns online or paying car tax online, but this technology is moving into areas far beyond that – clinical diagnostics for people seeking treatment from the NHS will be developed very rapidly,” he said. “Your ability to access emergency treatment is highly likely to have to go through some interactive online triage system.”

This was good for people who had access to the technology. While not having a fast enough download speed was frustrating, and being unable to gain access to sport TV channels inconvenient, “the growth of this technology and its interface between the state, government and its citizens is critical.” For many people it would be their access to vital services that could mean the difference between life or death.

“The fact that the state is not seeking to actively ensure that these services are provided – the elephant in the room being the extent to which this is a public obligation – is nothing short of criminal.”

Hudd said the government needed to focus on the fact that:

● Ofcom needs the power to be able to force providers to invest in this technology.

● Universal broadband coverage throughout the UK is an essential part of a democratic and civilised society.

Hudd pledged to prioritise this issue in political and parliamentary circles and wider society, including the TUC. “It’s a game changer on the way we behave as citizens and how the state interacts with us. It is crucially important that this is not simply left to the market and competition.”

■■ All■delegates■received■a■four-page■pamphlet■written■by■research■officer■Calvin■Allen,■entitled■‘The■information■revolution:■what■does■it■mean■for■Prospect■members?’Download■from■https://library.prospect.org.uk/id/2013/00815

■■ Hudd■–■‘crucial■that■this■is■not■left■to■the■market■and■competition’

Prospect • DigitalEye – July 2013

7

Dawn of a new digital ageTECHNOLOGY EXPERT and regular DigitalEye and Profile contributor Roger Darlington gave a talk on “The new digital age – private networks,

public services and personal choices.” He identified five forces driving

forward the digital society: ● faster networks ● more ubiquitous networks – as

evidenced by the roll out of superfast broadband and 4G

● more people will be connected (at present about 20 per cent of UK homes are not connected, and five out of 7bn homes worldwide are not connected).

● more devices connected to the internet, not just computers, smartphones and tablets but also TVs, games consoles, wearable technology and other objects, to name a few

● more use of these networks – for example in public services, e-commerce, social networking and much more.

Darlington provided a wealth of useful facts and figures demonstrating these trends. He also spelled out the challenges, including the balance between verification (knowing who you are dealing with online) and anonymity; and the trade off between security and privacy, as shown in the recent Prism debate.

■■ Roger■Darlington’s■next■column■will■appear■in■July’s■Profile.

SECTOR CONFERENCE

ever in writing. Threats to line managers: differentiate or you will be differentiated. A big growth in the number of compromise agreements.”

Prospect’s survey of members had produced damning results. The process could impact strongly on individuals’ health and wellbeing; for others it was more subtle – keeping their heads down at work, constantly looking over their shoulders and too scared even to let the union raise abuses.

Line managers were caught in the middle, with most wanting to assess their staff on the basis of the evidence, but told to deliver the numbers, ‘or else…’

Prospect and CWU were in the midst of intensive discussions with BT and had two key tests:

● every mark needs to be justified by the evidence, which cannot be achieved by forcing distribution

● abuses around compromise agreements must stop.

“But how do you stop something when no one admits it’s happening?”

Even if members were left with no choice but to take industrial action, the outcome would still need to be an agreement with BT.

“I sense we are at a crossroads on this, but we’re not certain BT will choose the right direction. Let’s hope it does. But if not, we may need to show loud and clear the strength of feeling. That’s not where we want to go but we won’t shrink from it if that’s what it takes,” said McHugh.

■■ Rebuilding■trust■–■continued■from■page■1

PROSPECT’S CONCERNS AS MPs QUIZ OFCOMPROSPECT urged parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport select committee to explore the following points when it questioned Ofcom’s chair and chief executive during a session in July:

● what steps the regulator will take to increase investment in high-speed broadband access, both fixed-line and mobile

● how the universal service commitment to a minimum access speed of 2 megabits per second can be updated, and whether

it should be replaced by an obligation

● what the completion of the European single market in telecoms means in practice for the industry

● whether Ofcom stands by its view – shared by Prospect – that the recent spectrum auctions were a success

● what impact Ofcom’s declining budget is likely to have, given its expanding remit and increased workload.

■■ See:■http://library.prospect.org.uk/id/2013/00853

Published by Prospect, New Prospect House, 8 Leake Street, London SE1 7NN

DigitalEye editor: Penny Vevers e penny.vevers@prospect.org.uk t 020 7902 6606

Printed by: College Hill Press

Prospect • DigitalEye – July 2013

8 RETENTION

Sad loss of a committed trade unionistNew sector president Jane Colclough pays tribute to Geoff PotterTHE death of Geoff Potter this April at the sadly young age of 62 has left a large hole in the lives of all who knew him.

A big man, both figuratively and literally, he was liked and respected by all who met him. Geoff worked for BT Openreach and became heavily involved in all aspects of the union’s work.

He was Leicester branch secretary from 1998 and a member of the Connect sector executive for many years, where he played an important role during the merger with Prospect. He also spent time on Prospect’s national executive.

If you were a member with a problem, you could not wish for a better case handler than Geoff: he was reassuring, knowledgeable and capable. He was also committed to our recruitment and organisation agenda and his presence on recruitment days was invaluable.

Geoff was intolerant, though, of bigotry in all its ugly forms – and he always challenged it.

He made a very real difference to the lives of many and did so with humour. One of his sayings was: “Any fool can be uncomfortable,” – but it could equally have been: “Any fool can be miserable.”

Geoff, you will be very much missed.

Our condolences go to his wife, Steph and their son, David and daughter-in-law Jen.

STEFANO

CAGN

ON

I

Moving jobs? Why you should stay in ProspectProspect can still advise and support you if you leave your current employer, explains Steph Marston

PROSPECT MEMBERS are seeing huge changes – reorganisations, mergers, takeovers, outsourcing and more.

Some of our members in Telefónica are to transfer to Capita; members in Cable & Wireless have moved into Vodafone; members in BT are involved in constant restructuring.

Whatever is going on where you work, it makes sense to stay with your union.

Prospect membership provides valuable support throughout your working life. Wherever you work, now or in the future, it gives you the security of knowing that you can get advice and support to resolve problems at work. And if you are between jobs, you can remain in Prospect membership at a reduced subscription rate – so when you start with a new employer, you can be confident of our help from day one.

If you have TUPE-transferred from a company that recognises Prospect, the union will still represent you and your colleagues and will be involved in negotiations with your new employer to protect and improve your terms and conditions of employment.

If your employer does not negotiate with trade unions, you can still get advice and assistance on work-related issues from Prospect.

This is particularly valuable when you are starting a job with a new employer, as you will not have any legal right to unfair dismissal protection until you have been in the post for two years.

During that time, Prospect can help you with any issues that may arise. We will advise you on the best way to address difficult situations, give you the tools to deal with them yourself and represent you in person if necessary.

If you are retiring, you can transfer to our Retired Members’ Group and pay a lower rate of subscription.

Whether you are working or not, keeping up your membership means that you will also retain access to the union’s benefits and services such as legal advice on work-related issues, our LegalLine helpline, personal injury compensation, support for lifelong learning and valuable discounts on everyday healthcare costs and insurance.

Many members find that they can more than recoup the cost of their subscription from the savings these offer, and, of course, savings are especially important if you are on a reduced income.

■■ Don’t■lose■the■advantages■of■Prospect■membership■–■update■your■details■online■at■www.prospect.org.uk,■email■connect@prospect.org.uk■or■call■020■8971■6000■to■make■sure■you■are■in■the■right■branch■and■on■the■right■subscription■for■your■new■circumstances.

JON

ATHAN

EELES

PHILIP W

ILLIAMS

■■ Steph■Marston■–■‘Prospect■provides■valuable■support■throughout■your■working■life’

■■ Organiser■Mary■Hurley■(right)■talking■to■staff■at■Telefónica’s■Preston■Brook■call■centre