Calling ALL JIB Electricians

Calling ALL JIB Electricians

If you hold a JIB card and are a Union member then next week a very important letter will be

falling on your doormat and it’s imperative that you take the time to read, understand and return it immediately.

The ECA have made their final offer for the 2015/2016 JIB wage negotiations and the Unions lay activists and representatives met on 4^th June in Leeds to hear and discuss it. It was heavily rejected by the group, but as it was the final offer, a decision has been made by Unite to send it out to the membership in the form of a consultative ballot. 

The ballot is open to ALL JIB card holders. It does not matter if you are direct, agency, self employed or even left the industry. YOUR opinion is wanted and it is vitally important we knock back this fresh attack on OUR trade

The reason the offer has been met with such hostility, is the fact that the ECA are continuing their agenda of de-skilling OUR industry. The companies are still furious that BESNA was defeated three years ago and have come back with a new angle. Instead of leading a full head on charge like BESNA, they are trying to sneak it in through the JIB negotiations. A new JIB Grade has been proposed, The Entrant Grade.

You will receive the official line with your ballot paper, but make no mistake; the Entrant Grade is the SMA & BESNA, full de-skilling attack, cheap labour that we have fought off every few years.

A worker will be engaged on the cards on the Entrant Grade for up to 18 months. After that period, the company has three routes to take. Sack them, promote them to Electrical Labourer or the lucky few may progress onto an Adult Trainee Scheme. The proposed entrant grade rate is roughly £9 an hour.

We can only see it going one way. The worker will spend 18 months on site and will eventually become a metal muncher. They will then progress onto an Electrical Labourer card and the industry will be flooded with half trained Electrical Labourers, taken on to install all of the containment. As you well know, 70% of the duration of a job is containment/first fix, so take that away and there is a 70% less demand for Electricians. This is 100% BESNA/SMA through the back door.

I and other Electricians I have spoken to would rather the companies spent their energy recruiting and training the next generation of Electricians through JTL and the Apprentice Schemes. Rather than continuously attack our trade whenever they think they can get away with it.

The avenues for recruitment and training are already in place. There is no need for this extra grade in any shape or form and we as a Branch are actively campaigning for this to be REJECTED.

The Ballot

The ballot will open on Friday 4^th July and will close on Thursday 24^th July. With the count taking place on Friday 25^th July.

Ballot papers are being sent out from Friday 4^th July

If you do not receive one by Friday 11^th July, contact Bernard McAulays office on 01132 364830 or your regional office.

The requirements for receiving a ballot paper are being a member of Unite the Union and hold a current JIB card. Your employment status does not matter, agency, subbie, cardie, unemployed. As long as you meet the two requirements then you are entitled to a say.

It is of great importance that we send a massive message of REJECT back to the ECA and show them that we will not take this attack on OUR trade.