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Sacked Crewe-based Fujitsu rep hearing set for 25 August

19 August 2011

An employment tribunal into the case of the sacked Crewe-based Fujitsu rep, Alan Jenney, is due to be held in Stoke on Thursday 25 August.

Unite, the largest union in the country, is currently balloting its more than 300 members who work for Fujitsu in Manchester on taking strike action and/or action short of a strike over a range of attacks on the union and its agreements with the company, including the treatment of Alan Jenney.

Unite says Alan Jenney, a 39-year-old IT professional who lives in Crewe and worked for IT services giant Fujitsu for 17 years since leaving full-time education, was targeted for redundancy and then sacked because of his trade union activities.

The Manchester ballot closes on Thursday 1 September and if Unite members vote for action, this could take place later in September.

Unite is supporting an interim relief claim at the Stoke employment tribunal which is being heard on 25 August and which, if successful, would mean that Fujitsu would be instructed to employ Alan Jenney until a full employment tribunal hearing is held.

Unite national officer for IT and communications, Kevin O’Gallagher, hit out the management’s ‘continued intransigence to reverse its vindictive decision to sack Alan for legitimate trade union activity and which demonstrates the company’s unwillingness to comply with proper agreed procedures’.

Unite said it was also:

• Continuing talks with the management under the auspices of the conciliation service, Acas in a bid to resolve these issues
• Continuing the work-to-rule at the Crewe plant, following the one-day strike by Unite members on 30 June

Kevin O’Gallagher said: ”We are behind Alan Jenney 100 per cent and this dispute will spread throughout Fujitsu’s UK operations until justice is done.

”The attack on Unite’s reps must cease immediately and there must be a marked improvement in the company’s employee relations strategy.”

ENDS

Notes to news editors:

PCS is holding a separate ballot for industrial action along similar timelines

For further information please contact Kevin O’Gallagher on 07980 879702 and/or Unite communications officer Shaun Noble on 07768 693940.