Grangemouth closure is a national emergency and demands an emergency response: GMB Scotland secretary Louise Gilmour in The Scotsman - Friday 24 November 2023

Please follow the link below to the #StopTheBritishGasFire hashtag on Twitter, where you can see the activism from your fellow members and the messages of support for you that are pouring in from across the union and across the country. 

 

Dear Colleagues  

 

The Lies, Incompetence & Greed of Centrica Plc Executives  

 

I have followed with interest the company lines and misinformation around our dispute. The company’s argument is that the business needs to change, and our union is resistant to it – but nothing could be further from the truth.  

 

British Gas absolutely needs to change and GMB has been the loudest collective voice calling for it. From the ruinous regime of former CEO Iain Conn to Chris O’Shea, only GMB has called out five years of failure at the helm of this great British industrial institution. Now, after haemorrhaging billions of pounds and millions of customers, the millionaire fat cats running British Gas are asking workers to “trust them”. It would be laughable if it wasn’t so serious for you and your families.  

 

Let’s be clear what ‘fire and rehire’ means. GMB members are being told they’ll be sacked and then forced to accept new terms and conditions, across the board cuts in wages, pensions and leave. That’s not change, that’s an imposition, and no trade union worth its salt would accept that.  

 

Chris O’Shea should know his history before he preaches about our union and this dispute. GMB was forged in the struggle of gas workers, we’ve lived and worked through change and upheaval many times before. We were there when the industry moved to natural gas. We’ve been at the forefront of the technological change in our industry, we converted the country to gas. It was GMB negotiated the revolutionary 1975 agreement which allowed for cross functional flexibility and saw the creation of the Service Engineer role. Change is in our DNA. We were here throughout nationalisation and privatisation, we are here as we face the challenges of the transition to a low carbon economy, and we’ll be here long after Chris O’Shea’s time is through at Centrica - no doubt when he has left with his pockets full just like his predecessors. 

 

But let’s also be clear. Nothing you enjoy by way of terms and conditions was ever handed to us. We organised and fought for everything we have ever gained. That’s what you are doing now, taking a stand to fight against the cut and gut of your conditions and your livelihoods, and demanding negotiated change, not a ‘fire and rehire’ imposition from a clique of fat cat executive millionaires who are doing their utmost to wreck this proud service.  

 

I am so proud of the action you are taking, and I am proud of our union. Please follow the link below to the #StopTheBritishGasFire hashtag on Twitter, where you can see the activism from your fellow members and the messages of support for you that are pouring in from across the union and across the country. 

 

#StopTheBritishGasFire 

 

Let’s stick together, stay strong and win.  

 

Yours in solidarity  

 

Gary Smith 

GMB Scotland Secretary 

 

 

GMB Scotland In British Gas – Showing Solidarity

Tomorrow, (Thursday 7 January 2021) over a thousand GMB Scotland members working in Scottish Gas/British Gas will be taking part in the first of 5 days of strike action.

This is because the employer, British Gas, is using the controversial 'Fire and Rehire' - making workers redundant and rehiring them on poorer conditions - to dismiss and reengage the entire workforce, including all of GMB's 10,000 members.

Our members will be making history as this action is part of a national dispute which will be the biggest strike in the gas industry since the 1970’s. It is also the biggest action taking place in the middle of a pandemic.

Due to this most of the action will be taking place online. The picket lines for this dispute will be the British Gas vans, and members have been sent a digital placard. This means that every member can still take an action, and we will be holding online rallies through Zoom and Facebook live.

Our members in Scottish Gas would really appreciate your messages of support and solidarity.

This can be done in the following ways: posting on social media and tagging GMB Scotland on twitter, @GMBScotOrg and also on Facebook, using the #StopTheBritishGasFire

It would mean a lot to these workers, many of whom have never been on strike, to know they have your support. The biggest reason our members have said they don’t want to accept the company’s new proposal on T&C’s is because of work/life balance. Our members in British Gas are fighting for a fairer deal for their families.

 
Gary Smith     
GMB Scotland Secretary