Staff have voted by 71% to recognise Prospect at Wessex Archaeology. The
union says that the majority meets all the statutory requirements for a recognition ballot, which means that Prospect is now officially recognised at the unit.

This is unlikely to affect terms and conditions straight away. However, Jayne
Gidlow, the Secretary of the Archaeologists’ Branch has told The Digger that ‘a recognition agreement will now be drawn up and will have to be agreed upon by both parties (ie the company and the union members at Wessex). Union members will elect representatives to a committee, usually called something like a Joint Consultative Committee (JCC).’

The recognition agreement will contain the areas of the terms and conditions of employment at Wessex that both parties agree can be collectively bargained upon. This could include pay, pensions, travel time, annual leave entitlements etc. Once this is agreed, then the actual terms of employment can be discussed.

The result is a victory for the union and ordinary union members who have
campaigned hard for recognition at a number of units, despite a less than
enthusiastic response from some managements.