Prime Minister agrees with GMB Union fire and rehire is an exploitative negotiation tactic
Prime Minister agrees with GMB Union fire and rehire is an exploitative negotiation tactic and one which has caused real anger and hurt
A cross-party group has written to Centrica boss Chris O’Shea to call on him to withdraw threats to fire and rehire the entire British Gas field workforce of engineers.
In the strongly worded missive, the MPs say the company’s actions have “tarnished the reputation of a great British company.”
GMB members at British Gas are voting on industrial action in a ballot on the threat by Centrica CEO Chris O’Shea to fire and rehire the entire workforce.
The ballot closes tomorrow (December 17, 2020).
The Prime Minister today agreed that fire and rehire is an exploitative negotiation tactic and one which has caused real anger and hurt.
The letter, whose signatories include the SNP’s Gavin Newlands MP, Lib Dem Wera Hobhouse MP and Shadow Chancellor Anneliese Dodds MP, calls on the company to reach a negotiated agreement with the union.
The MPs told Centrica boss Chris O’Shea:
“We feel that no employer should be treating its employees the way you have and we are saddened that your actions have tarnished the reputation of a great British company.
“It is clear that changes need to be made in Centrica and we understand that unions have been attempting to work with you to achieve a recovery for the business.
“We ask that you come back from the brink, take your threat off the table and come to a negotiated agreement with GMB.”
Justin Bowden, GMB National Secretary said:
“GMB has negotiated for months to try and arrive at an outcome that is fair and reasonable for all parties.
“Throughout these negotiations, British Gas has held the threat of dismissal over its workforce.
“In the last week that process of fire and rehire has begun with gas and electrical engineers being told they will lose thousands of pounds of protections negotiated by the union if they do not sign up to accept the proposed cuts.
“British Gas should start behaving like a British company, drop the threats and get back round the table.”
