The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Gas engineers hand in vans and refuse to work ‘for free’
AFife engineer who has worked for British Gas for 20 years faces unemployment after refusing to accept new terms and conditions.
Craig Watson, who lives in Fife with his wife and children, has handed over his work van and uniform and expects to be sacked by tomorrow.
Engineers and trade union GMB have been locked in a bitter dispute with British Gas operator Centrica over proposed changes to their terms and conditions.
Under the proposals, engineers would be required to work three hours extra every week for no payment, as well as losing benefits for evening and weekend call-outs.
GMB said this would amount to a 15% real-terms pay cut.
Asked if losing his job would be worth it for three hours extra, Craig said: “In the real world that’s 156 hours every year.
“As I said when a manager asked me that question, how do I explain it to my family when working extra will contribute nothing to my home?”
British Gas has engaged in a controversial “fire and rehire” scheme to introduce the new terms, meaning those who refuse to accept them will be sacked and offered their job back.
Mr Watson said that he will likely be told he is to be sacked by tomorrow, and at this point he said it is “highly unlikely” he would sign the new terms.
In recent days he has joined fellow engineers in dropping off their work vans, equipment and uniform.
For Craig, putting up a fight was important. He added: “Who knows what would change next if the bosses thought we would just take this lying down?
“We’ve shown them that we are willing to fight.”
Another engineer, John Cleary, said the sight of all the vans being returned was “devastating”.
GMB has promised further strikes ahead of the “mass sacking” today, and warned the company of continued action. Gary Pearce, GMB London energy officer, said: “That British Gas doesn’t give a toss for either customers or staff is shown by the mass sackings of engineers it so badly needs for customer services that it has suspended the sale of boiler insurance cover.
“There is sadly nothing in law to stop corporate bullying by companies of their own staff to sign terms they don’t accept and sacking those who don’t submit to this bullying.
“But GMB members won’t accept the outcome of the bullying.
“This is why they are staging the 43rd day of strike action today. I have news for (Centrica CEO) Mr O’Shea – this is not the end of the dispute.
“So as well as Mr O’Shea being in dispute with his own staff he is now in dispute with the national union GMB. This is why this dispute will continue and become an official national lockout dispute.
“There will be more strikes and action short of strikes.”
A Centrica spokesman said: ‘‘We are modernising the way we work to give our customers the service they want and protect the future of our company and our 20,000 colleagues.
“The vast majority of our employees have agreed to the new terms which are fair and very competitive.
“We’re not changing base salaries or pensions. Sadly, the GMB continue to say we have cut pay by 15% and this is simply not true.
“Our gas service engineers remain some of the best paid in the sector, on £40,000 a year minimum.
“Some of our engineers who don’t currently work a 40-hour week like their other colleagues, will be working an additional three hours and we’re increasing their base pay for the next two years to reflect this.
“After this point we’re still paying for those hours but through a productivity bonus which means earnings are uncapped.”