Responding to reports from Unite, the company said it was fully behind the right of all staff to collective bargaining and union membership. "There is no intention to derecognise the union," it said.
Unite yesterday said that workers based outside the UK have been told they no longer have the right to remain members of the UK-based union. This would mean that many of Amnesty’s staff based outside London will have less protection when it comes to their labour rights, said the union. The move would affect employees in Beirut, Dakar, Paris, Moscow, Geneva, Hong Kong, Kampala and New York.
However, Amnesty today said that staff outside the UK could join a UK-based union.
"The advice we have received is that staff based outside the UK are governed by local national employment law and would therefore be better represented by local union or staff association wherever possible. Staff are still free to join a UK-based union if that is their choice and are free to join more than one union if they choose," it said.
Salil Shetty, Amnesty secretary general, added: "Amnesty International fully respects the rights of all its staff to be represented, whether they are based in London or outside. There is no intention to derecognise the union."
