GMB Magazine GMB25 Centre Point Summer 2016

REGIONAL UPDATE from GMB All the news BRITISH GAS OLDBURY The office has always been regarded as a complete success. Time is T U O G N I N N RU ter is in M e im r P e h t ing on ll a c ly t n e g r u is y r u b GMB ld O s a G h is it at Br s b jo e v a s lp e h o t LOST? e “Weeks hav h gone by wit no action from the t.” governmen A LIFELINE said: Stuart Fegan, GMB national officer, stated deva were ury Oldb at bers “GMB mem but t by British Gas' shock announcemen ne when thought they had been thrown a lifeli his ite Desp d. vene inter the Prime Minister task al steri mini a that ent mitm com personal save to g tryin force would be set up to look at all. at ened happ has jobs, absolutely nothing G OUT TIME IS RUNNIN y, Sajid “GMB wrote to the business secretar force task the in lved invo be Javid, asking to had no have we that nted ppoi disa are but we has only reply. The trouble is that British Gas re these befo ion ultat allowed 45 days for cons gone have ks Wee . ised final me job losses beco The ent. rnm gove the from n actio no by with clock is ticking!” uct GMB urges David Cameron to instr rway unde e forc task the get his ministers to the save to late too be will it or tely, immedia set ng stati workers at Oldbury from a deva of redundancies. 04 CENTRE POINT – GMB Birmingham and West Midlands GMB25.Centre_Point_04_05.indd 4 14/06/2016 08:10 ©iStock.com G MB is in a desperate race against time to try to save over 680 jobs – 500 of which belong to GMB members – at the British . When Gas office at Oldbury, West Midlands was ice off ul essf the closure of the succ David shockingly announced by British Gas, s stion Que s ster' Mini e Prim in said Cameron – on the same day as the closure became public knowledge – that he would set up a ministerial task force to look into British Gas' decision and try to save jobs. However, nothing has yet been done to set this task force up. Now GMB and its members are growing increasingly frustrated and from disappointed by the lack of action ent. rnm all areas of gove out British Gas announced the cuts with has only consulting with GMB or its reps, and re these befo allowed 45 days for consultation clock the that s know vital jobs are lost. GMB ing runn is time that and y is ticking constantl g bein from bers mem y man ent prev out to made redundant. niser Mark Bergman, GMB regional orga the ores depl B “GM : said for British Gas, way that the closure of British Gas Oldbury was announced. The majority of staff heard it on the news first. There was no consultation prior to the announcement, either with GMB or with local GMB representatives. “GMB members have been devastated by this unforeseen decision, believed that Oldbury they as cially espe proud was a successful office and they were e ther r, clea it e mak to to work there. I want case ness busi no ion, ultat has been no cons all." and no respect for the workforce at

GMB Magazine GMB25 Centre Point Summer 2016 | Page 4