MP’s call to Prime Minister over Centrica

Washington and Sunderland West MP Sharon Hodgson has slammed British Gas owners Centrica during an exchange in the House of Commons with Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Appearing by video in what was possibly the final Prime Minister’s Questions of 2020, Mrs Hodgson hit out at Centrica’s “fire and re-hire” policy.

Mrs Hodgson said that highly-skilled engineers at Centrica/British Gas in her constituency were told last week that they had to sign new contracts before Christmas, or else they would be fired and rehired in the new year on worse terms.

Earlier this year Centrica chief executive Chris O’Shea announced there would be 5,000 redundancies, most of whichwouldbeintheUK.They have about 20,000 UK employees.

C e ntr i c a a l s o m ad e a n £849m loss in the year ended December 31, 2019, compared with a £987m profit the previous year.

MembersoftheGMBunion at British Gas are voting on industrial action.

Mrs Hodgson said in the House of Commons: “Will the Prime Minister join me in calling on Centrica to withdraw its threat and return to the negotiation table with workers and their union, the GMB? And will he work with Labour and the trade unions to introduce legislation to ban fire and re-hire as soon as possible?”

The Prime Minister said he agreed “that businesses treat their employees with fairness andrespect”andthatheshared Mrs Hodgson’s point of view.

He added: “But it’s also vital thatwehaveaflexibleeconomy that is able to also generate jobs - particularly when we are going to be going through a very difficult and bumpy time.”