Rolls-Royce signs landmark union deal

Rolls Royce and the Unite union, has signed a “landmark” agreement covering 1,700 managers at Rolls Royce’s campus in Derby and Hucknall.

This is the first such agreement for management levels at Rolls Royce in Derby and Unite is expecting to roll this out to all the UK sites in the coming months.

It gives Unite collective bargaining and consultation rights for the Derby group of factories and opens discussions regarding the 13 other sites alongside recruitment and organising, which the union hopes will culminate in a UK wide recognition agreement for Rolls Royce managers.

The interim agreement was signed in Derby by Unite’s regional secretary, Paresh Patel and Andrew Page, head of employment relations for civil aerospace, Rolls Royce.

Unite said that the managers approached the union as they felt that they needed a voice in the workplace and had seen the effective and professional way the union had represented the employees they managed.

Unite regional secretary for the East Midlands, Paresh Patel said: “This is a historic moment for Unite and Rolls Royce. This interim agreement covers almost 1700 managers across business areas from procurement to engineering in Derby.

“It paves the way for negotiations on a UK wide recognition agreement for the appropriate levels of Rolls Royce managers which we hope to conclude over the coming months. After careful consideration managers decided that they needed a collective voice to support their employment relationship with the company.”

Unite regional officer Tony Tinley said: “Rolls Royce is a giant of British industry and I am very proud that these managers have chosen Unite to be the vehicle for this progressive development. It’s a testament to the hard work and professional representation that Unite already gives to Rolls Royce staff. We look forward to a constructive dialogue and representing the interests of the managers once the talks have concluded.”

Lee Purslow, Unite deputy staff convenor said: “This has been a three year project and we have received great support from Unite’s organising team. Our team delivered a landmark agreement and now 1700 more Rolls Royce employees have a voice at work.”