Union recognised

ADT FIRE and Security yesterday became the first company to concede union recognition under controversial proposals in the recent "fairness at work" white paper. While the employee rights blueprint is not due to become law until next year, management has decided to jump the gun by signing an agreement with the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union on the basis of a vote among the workforce.

Some 67 per cent of the 1,700 engineers at the company, which installs fire alarms and security equipment, voted for union recognition. The White Paper insists that a minimum of 40 per cent backing. .