NORTH West Labour MPs are demanding a meeting with United Utilities chairman Sir Desmond Pitcher, to urge him not to scrap trade union recognition.

The new company formed by the merger of Norweb and North West Water is to offer personal contracts to 1,300 of its employees and is considering withdrawing the rights of trade unions to negotiate collectively on their behalf.

After North West Labour MPs met trade union representatives, their chairman, Jane Kennedy, announced that an urgent meeting was being sought with Sir Desmond and his chief executive Brian Staples.

A statement from the group said: "Labour believes it is unacceptable that, at present, an employer can choose not to recognise a union, no matter how many members it has.

"Labour in government will legislate to ensure that all people at work have the right to join a trade union, have that union represent them, and have a union recognised where there is substantial support.

"The next Labour Government will give all people at work, regardless of whether they are full-time, part-time casual or permanent and whether they work at home, the right to basic standards at work.

"All working people will have basic employment rights regardless of the number of hours they work or how long they have worked for their employer.

Not least among them will be the right to earn the National Minimum Wage."

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