The union’s national conference, attended by 500 delegates from all areas of Prospect's 122,000 members, gave unanimous backing to an emergency motion condemning the decision by QinetiQ to terminate trade union recognition and collective bargaining.

The conference gave its backing to a campaign to use all means at its disposal to reinstate trade union recognition and collective bargaining for QinetiQ staff.

There was strong support from all sections of Prospect's membership. Delegates declared that the decision by QinetiQ was "morally repugnant" and an “attack on our core values.”

Prospect's general secretary designate, Mike Clancy explained to delegates how QinetiQ chief executive Leo Quinn had approached the discussions prior to de-recognition, and that the company gave no indication that detailed plans were already in place to announce de-recognition and the introduction of an employee engagement group before the formal announcement was made on February 21.

Clancy said: “It is an affront to the professionalism of QinetiQ employees that the company removed the right of freedom of association and the right to conduct collective bargaining. Prospect will not go away. We will not end our campaign until we have achieved our objective of reinstating union recognition in QinetiQ.”

On a positive note, Prospect, other unions at QinetiQ, and company representatives have agreed to talks on recognition and collective bargaining under the auspices of the conciliation service, ACAS.

National secretary David Luxton said the first meeting had taken place on May 22, with another scheduled for June.