News

From CONNECTED (March 2008)



Members around T-Mobile are facing a period of uncertainty, what with change associated with Mobilising 2010, the MBNL joint venture and the prospect of potential outsourcing. In addition, members have raised concerns about proposals to change the pension scheme. All of these are issues on which we will offer advice and support to our members, as well as contacting T-Mobile to raise members’ concerns and offer our expertise. Clearly, we would prefer to have a collective relationship with the company so that we could approach issues jointly as we do with so many other major employers in the industry.

Joint venture Progress on the joint venture between T-Mobile and 3 continues. We understand that the directors have been appointed and the outline structure of the new joint venture company, Mobile Broadband Network Limited (MBNL) has been published to T-Mobile and 3 employees. The aim of MBNL is to establish the best 3G network in the UK. According to press reports, the operators plan to decommission over 5,000 duplicate sites from both parties’ combined existing cell site portfolio. Together with the lower future capital expenditure, combined savings are estimated at £2bn over 10 years.

The 50/50 provision of staff by parent companies means it is likely many people in T-Mobile Networks will be going through the interview and selection process. Some will be seconded and hopefully end up with permanent roles, whereas others will be moving into transition roles with an anticipated reduction in resource requirements from the end of 2009, some will be required to remain with T-Mobile carrying out core functions. Other employees face a TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment) transfer to prospective service partners. This is an uncertain time for members with some tough choices to be made. Connect has a vast amount of experience in dealing with these sort of changes and securing safeguards for members affected. However, we can only represent employees collectively if we have a majority in membership – so ask your colleagues to join and make that possible. .

Outsourcing A number of members in Operations have told us they think they may be moving out of T-Mobile and into ESL, following their colleagues in Field Operations. As yet Connect has no detail on proposals or timescales but we urge members to keep us informed.

Pay news German trade union ver.di has called for a 6.5 per cent wage increase for 6,000 Deutsche Telekom T-Mobile employees. Chief negotiator Ado Wilhelm was quoted as saying the increase is justified due to inflation rates. Although the pay review date for TM UK employees is now 1 January we understand most members have yet to hear what they will be getting as the process is continuing'.

T-Mobilising The recent Mobilising 2010 announcements on the company’s strategy will affect a number of Connect members. The company has informed Connect of 215 proposed redundancies, the areas most heavily affected being Customer Service, HR and Finance. T-Mobile has assured us that proper consultation with the NEC/LECs will take place and redundancy selection will follow legal requirements. If you have been advised you are at risk of redundancy and are part of a pool being downsized, ask to see the selection criteria and your scores. Make sure you know how you are being assessed. If you disagree with the scores you will need to formally challenge them with evidence to back up your position. We have also been advised that if full performance management data under the new system doesn’t exist for those in the selection pool then interviews will take place, so if you haven’t been appraised under the new system, make sure you are treated fairly.

Pensions Connect has recently written to T-Mobile expressing concerns about proposed changes to the T-Mobile pension scheme. Essentially we believe the company needs to explain how it can justify those employees not ‘opted in’ to the salary sacrifice scheme paying more for the same benefits. We do not believe it is fair to ask employees to subsidise the company’s National Insurance contributions. To see the letter visit the T-Mobile section of our website – www.connectuk.org/tmobile

Please contact t-mobile@connectuk.org for more information.