In Yorkshire alone these changes will have a huge impact on the local economy
GMB Union has slammed ‘short-sighted’ British Gas owner Centrica as consultation begins on more than 100 job losses across Yorkshire
The cuts are the latest part of a reduction of 4,000 jobs in the company's customer business by 2020.
The company plans to outsource the call centres to ‘offshore’ providers which will reduce UK jobs and threaten the vital support that this gives to engineers across all customer and business facing channels.
Jake O’Malley, GMB Regional Organiser for the gas industry, said:
“This short-sighted, cost driven exercise could potentially leave their customers in a worse position in terms of support, service and security and would leave Centrica far from the company who claim to be ‘customer obsessed’.
“With office based roles now outsourced to South Africa and India, jobs once held by the company’s now redundant loyal staff seem to be insignificant at board level.
“Engineering roles in the field are now being backfilled by outsourced contractors and company owned franchises; all of which signal a lack of investment in the permanent jobs and skills required for the future of the energy industry.
“In Yorkshire alone these changes will have a huge impact on the local economy, leaving potentially hundreds of jobs at risk as the company looks to close its current Canal Street offices and regional training academy in Leeds before the end of June.
“GMB trade union has a proud history embedded within British Gas and we have been standing up for our members’ rights for many years and will continue to do so.”
