Prospect signs recognition and procedural agreement with RWE Renewables

Prospect has signed a new Recognition and Procedural Agreement with RWE Renewables, which establishes a formal role for the union regarding information and consultation across the RWE Renewables’ business.

The agreement, which also includes Unite, sets out how RWE Renewables will work together with the unions on shared interests such as, Health and Safety; promoting training and development; establishing mechanisms for change; working on policies and procedures across the company; and informing and consulting over job security issues.

While Prospect has already had a collective agreement in place that covers some parts of the RWE Renewables business, this new agreement now includes all employees.

Prospect national secretary Steve Thomas said:

“This agreement establishes a strong basis on which we can represent members’ views in consultation on key issues and gives us, and our representatives, access to engage with RWE Renewables employees on a regular and modern basis. It stands alongside existing collective bargaining arrangements that we will continue to provide.”

While the agreement does not extend to collective bargaining, it does explicitly state that collective bargaining across the whole of RWE Renewables remains an ultimate goal for Prospect.

The agreement also refers to the purpose of consultation taking place with the objective of reaching agreement, and for the organisation “to give genuine consideration to opinions put forward.”

Another key aspect of the agreement is that it provides Prospect with both physical and digital access to the workforce – a modern approach, which acknowledges that workers may not always be in the office or on site.

Prospect officers are already planning site visits to talk to members and prospective members about this recognition agreement and to discuss their priorities for consultation.