British Gas engineers to strike on 14 April, the new date they face for mass sackings

31 March 2021 Download as PDF

GMB members at British Gas to strike on 14 April: new date for mass sackings of engineers not accepting 15% pay cuts and other imposed changes

Mr O’Shea’s sacking his own highly skilled and credentialed workers on 14 April, because they would not submit to his reckless corporate bullying, is the ultimate measure of failure says GMB London

GMB members in London and East of England in British Gas will take the 43rd day of strike on Wednesday 14 April in this long-running and deadlocked dispute over ‘fire and rehire’ imposed 15% cuts in pay rates and other changes.

This is the new date for the mass sacking of engineers who were sent termination letters earlier this week by British Gas CEO Mr O’Shea. This is a change of the date from tomorrow Thursday 1 April.

British Gas announced in July last year that staff in the Field staff bargaining group who refused to accept imposed 15% cuts in pay rates and other changes would be sacked. The letters confirming the sackings were sent out earlier this week.

The date for the sackings with pay in lieu of notice was changed from Thursday 1st April to Wednesday 14 April with no explanation.

GMB members at British Gas have already taken 42 days of strike action against the imposition of the 15% cuts in pay rates and other changes via “fire and rehire” notices. The strike action on 14 April will be the 43rd strike day. In addition, a national official lockout dispute between British Gas and GMB will become effective from 14 April and will include further strike action and action short of a strike. See below in notes to editors for links to previous GMB London press releases.

Gary Pearce, GMB London Region Senior Officer for Energy said:

“Mr O’Shea’s sacking his own highly skilled and credentialed workers on 14 April, because they would not submit to his reckless corporate bullying, is the ultimate measure of failure.

“There are no legal checks on this corporate bullying and forcing signatures under duress.

“The workforce is united in utter disgust and anger against the British Gas management led by Mr O’Shea. This disgust and anger will be manifest across the country on 14 April.

“This dispute is far from over. It brings to mind the old wisdom that ‘any fool can start a war’. There is still time for Mr O’Shea to take the new date of 14 April off the table.”

End

Contact: Gary Pearce, GMB London Region Senior Officer for Energy 078 5003 6952

Notes to editors

25 March 2021

GMB London - British Gas strike days 39/42 from Friday 26 March as official lockout dispute over April 1 sackings loom

22 March 2021

GMB London - GMB Executive to consider official national lockout dispute with British Gas over April 1st mass sackings

19 March 2021

GMB London - British Gas engineers in deadlocked national dispute over a 15% cut in pay rates and other imposed changes

11 March 2021

GMB London - Gas and electrical engineers will be on strike again from tomorrow in deadlocked dispute

5 March 2021