Unions need to be feared again

THE British Gas scandal over the pay deal is the result of the long-term Tory policy to destroy the union culture, which started with Margaret Thatcher.

If you don’t have solidarity in a workplace you will never be able to negotiate a deal that benefits all workers. It is well past time that all employees joined a union to halt the decline in pay and conditions.

We are now living in a country that resembles the 1920s, where bosses hired and fired at will.

Men and women in the 1920s and beyond fought hard and sacrificed a lot for their working rights but this generation is sleepwalking into giving them all away, playing right into the bosses’ hands.

Wake up before it’s too late!

John Fellows Blyth, Northumberland

It’s good to hear Keir Starmer pour scorn on fatcat British Gas bosses with their mind-boggling salaries who go about trying to sack long-standing employees. This sort of practice is happening every day in factories and workplaces run by millionaire Tory backers who disregard workers’ rights in a quest for profit and dividends for shareholders. It can’t be solved without the backing of our once great unions. Labour must work with them in the fight for workers’ rights.

Neil Atherton St Helens, Merseyside

It has taken a long time but thankfully these days we have health and safety laws in place that state that any employee is entitled to

feel safe and comfortable at their place of work. Yet it’s possible that a company like British Gas is able to bully employees – albeit legally – to either accept inferior new contracts or be sacked?

There needs to be laws to prevent it, in the same way we have health and safety covered. Clearly loyalty doesn’t count for anything.

D Richens, South East London

I’ve been with British Gas for over 50 years but after seeing your reports about the salaries some of the bosses receive, I switched. I don’t think anybody is worth that.

They seem hellbent on profits regardless of how many customers they lose – and I must say a word about their engineers as they have a great reputation, justly deserved.

I have no complaints regarding staff but when they send a subcontractor instead, I do mind. That’s also why I ditched them.

Tony Howard

Salford, Gtr Manchester

I had to call out British Gas last Friday as we had a leaking hot water system with water dripping through our ceiling,

only to be told an engineer could come out Monday afternoon.

They offered to send an approved contractor who we’d have to pay for and reclaim. I said no, as we are pensioners.

Surely, they should retain more of their own engineers? We’ve been loyal customers for years but are beginning to wonder.

John Funnell, Maidstone, Kent

The way British Gas has treated engineers, people who’ve worked for up to 30 years for them, is a disgrace. It shows no respect for their years of loyal service.

I’d urge customers to look for an energy company that can give them a good deal and respect their staff. British Gas should change its name to Centrica Gas as it’s behaviour is certainly not very British.

E Tollett, Coventry

Whatever happened to Theresa May’s promise to curb boardroom pay and make boards accountable to employees? The frenzied boardroom greed at British Gas shows the promises were worthless.

Ian Brown

Feltham, West London