The outcome of the unsatisfactory pay review was considered after the company announced in mid-October it was to pay a three per cent bonus at the end of November.

The company eventually accepted the clear message that there was widespread dissatisfaction with the proposal for a 2012 bonus based on individual delivery of cost savings through ‘My Contribution’, which has now been withdrawn.

It also decided to apply an ‘underpin’ to the bonus which directly stems from union representations about low paid staff.

On union recognition, Prospect highlighted the benefits of collective bargaining:

democratic representation of staff

accountability for actions taken

professional advice on legal issues, pensions and external employment practices;

the resources to communicate regularly with members and non-members.

Prospect says the benefits of trade union recognition could not be delivered through a company employee forum and highlighted the damage that would be done to QinetiQ if it were to proceed with formal union de-recognition. On pensions, the branch agreed to resist any proposed changes to remove the RPI link from the QinetiQ defined benefit pension scheme.

Watch Mike Clancy discuss the benefits of trade unionism at QinetiQ at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxLwLK2tE-M