ANGRY unions are fighting de-recognition moves within United Utilities.

The new company - formed when North West Water tookover NORWEB - is working on an internal efficiency re-organisation which will result in a "downsizing" of the combined 16,000 workforce.

UU yesterday confirmed union fears - revealed in the Evening News on January 6 - that they are against recognition. Employees transferring to the new Vertex subsidiary, which will provide a central servicing, metering and billing facility for both electricity and water, will have to sign personal contracts acknowledging that collective bargaining should cease.

About 400 full and part-time workers at NORWEB's £3.5 million hi-tech customer care headquarters in Manchester Road, Bolton are among those involved.

The Amalgamated Engineering and Electric Union, is to ballot for strike action. Area official Dave Marsh said: "Personal contracts might mean enhanced terms now, but in the future it inevitably means worse conditions and worsening salaries."

United Utilities says: "Staff at North West Water do not have collective bargaining while NORWEB does. We have decided it was unfair to impose centralised trade union pay bargaining on everyone."

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