Date: 17th February 2022
To: All Retail Security Officers (RSOs) and Shop Stewards in Impacted Shops
From: RSO Negotiating Committee
Re: Update from negotiations with Company Representatives
Dear Member
Your elected RSO Negotiating Committee met with Company Representatives today. The Company were left in no doubt as to the depth of feelings regarding the company’s decision to outsource the RSO role to OCS and the manner of its announcement last week.
The impact on RSOs across the country was clearly put to the company by your 3 elected representatives and the officials on the team.
Following this, the talks proceeded constructively with Mandate making it abundantly clear that it is our intention to negotiate an agreement that delivers genuine options for RSOs. The Company formally shared their updated RSO Update Questions and Answers Wednesday 16th February 2022 document setting out their position. Given the level of detail in this document and matters raised by the negotiating committee it was agreed that the parties would adjourn talks for the day. It was made clear that the Company’s deadline of the 1st of March is unacceptable, they have agreed to move this to the 8th of March. It was countered that this remains too arbitrary and does not provide sufficient time for full and proper engagement.
The Company will fulfill their obligations under TUPE in the coming days and will be formally notifying Mandate of the commencement of the 30 days consultation period. To this end, it was agreed that Union representatives will meet with OCS on Wednesday the 23rd of February as per obligations under the TUPE Regulations. It was also agreed that the Negotiating Committee would meet again with Tesco Representatives on Thursday the 24th of February.
Your negotiating teams priorities are as follows:
- Guarantee Terms & Conditions of Employment for those who wish to transfer to OCS
- A genuinely attractive and realistic transfer to another store based role within Tesco
- The best possible voluntary exit for those members wishing to leave Tesco
A meeting of all the RSOs will be held on Monday 21st February evening at 7pm to update you all and answer any questions you may have. An invite will issue separately on Monday.
We will continue to keep you updated as to any developments.
Yours fraternally
RSO Negotiating Team