Union membership, ahem, 'takes off'...

Last week I reported that the GMB had 'secured' (geddit?) a deal to represent Group 4 Securicor workers - this week I'm equally pleased to blog about the TGWU's success in gaining union recognition at easyJet's call centre. This isn't a deal which just 'fell from the sky' (Ok, I'll stop the lame puns now), but one which was built on some pretty impressive and sustained organising work by the TGWU and its activists in the call centre.

Most importantly this win isn't just a one-off but is part of a concerted, and long-term, effort by the TGWU to organise the low-cost airlines sector.

It also shows that employers in this sector are not obliged to take the sort of medieval union-bashing' stance taken by companies such as Ryanair - which has, as well as making its employees pay to charge their mobile phones, 'attracted criticism for making employees pay for uniforms, withdrawing free crew refreshments and actively discouraging union membership.'

You can read more about BALPA's efforts to give Ryanair pilots an independent, collective voice here.