Recognition Decision
Updated 7 October 2026
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
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Case Number: TUR1/1567(2026)
06 October 2026
CENTRAL ARBITRATION COMMITTEE
TRADE UNION AND LABOUR RELATIONS (CONSOLIDATION) ACT 1992
SCHEDULE A1 - COLLECTIVE BARGAINING: RECOGNITION
DECLARATION OF RECOGNITION
The Parties:
RMT
and
Telent Technology Services Limited
1. Introduction
1) RMT (the Union) submitted an application to the CAC on 8 May 2026 that it should be recognised for collective bargaining by Telent Technology Services Limited (the Employer) for a bargaining unit comprising of “All non-management employees on the Transport for London Communication Assets Maintenance Contract”. The location of the bargaining unit was given as “All locations”. The CAC gave both parties notice of receipt of the application on 8 May 2026. The Employer submitted a response to the CAC dated 15 May 2026 which was copied to the Union.
2) In accordance with section 263 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (the Act), the CAC Chair established a Panel to deal with the case. The Panel initially consisted of Mr Jonathan Gray as Panel Chair, now replaced by Ms Lisa Gettins, and, as Members, Mr Richard Fulham and Ms Joanna Brown. The Case Manager appointed to support the Panel was Kaniza Bibi.
3) By a decision dated 8 June 2026 the Panel accepted the Union’s application. The parties then entered a period of negotiation in an attempt to reach agreement on the appropriate bargaining unit. The Parties then confirmed-on 2 July 2026 that they reached an agreement on the bargaining unit as “All Technicians, Engineers, non-people manager Team Leaders, COSS/PWT/Protection Masters and PWT Support”.
4) On 30 July 2026, the Panel not being satisfied that a majority of the workers constituting the bargaining unit were members of the Union, gave notice in accordance with paragraph 23(2) of the Schedule that it intended to arrange for the holding of a secret ballot in which the workers constituting the bargaining unit would be asked whether they wanted the Union to conduct collective bargaining on their behalf. The parties were advised that the Panel would wait until the end of the notification period, as specified in paragraphs 24(2) to (7) of the Schedule, before arranging for the holding of a ballot. The parties were also asked for their views on the form the ballot should take. Both parties requested a postal ballot, and the Panel also agreed that the ballot should be a postal vote.
5) On 1 September 2026 the CAC appointed Popularis as the balloting agency (Qualified Independent Person or QIP) to conduct the ballot, and the parties were notified accordingly. The postal ballot papers were dispatched on 16 September 2026 to be returned to the QIP by no later than noon on 29 September 2026.
6) The QIP reported to the CAC on 29 September 2026 that, of the 56 workers eligible to vote, 20 ballot papers had been returned. 19 workers, that is 95.00% of those voting, had voted to support the proposal that the Union be recognised for the purposes of collective bargaining with the Employer. 1 worker, that is 5.00% of those voting, voted to reject the proposal.
7) The CAC informed the Employer and the Union on 01 October 2026 of the result of the ballot in accordance with paragraph 29(2) of the Schedule.
2. Declaration of Recognition
8) The ballot establishes that a majority of the workers voting, support the proposal that the Union should be recognised by the Employer for the purpose of conducting collective bargaining in respect of the bargaining unit. This satisfies the conditions under which the CAC must issue a declaration in favour of recognition in accordance with paragraph 29(3) of the Schedule.
9) The CAC accordingly declares that the Union is recognised by the Employer as entitled to conduct collective bargaining on behalf of the bargaining unit comprising of “All Technicians, Engineers, non-people manager Team Leaders, COSS/PWT/Protection Masters and PWT Support” based at All Locations.
Panel
Ms Lisa Gettins, Panel Chair
Mr Richard Fulham
Ms Joanna Brown
06 October 2026