Urgent action called from Unison
- Published on Monday, 26 September 2011 09:15
- Posted by Scott Buckler
UNISON is calling for urgent Government action, as UK Power Networks becomes the latest foreign-owned company in the energy sector to axe hundreds of jobs
UK Power Networks will cut 400 posts this year, 100 in 2012 and 100 in 2013, with further plans to shut offices. The Hong Kong based-private equity company that owns UKPN has also recently brought Northumbrian Water.
The UKs largest union is predicting the trend of job cuts will continue, on the back of redundancy plans at other companies. These include US-owned Western Powers move to axe more than 800 jobs, and German-owned E.ONs announcement yesterday of plans for 500 redundancies.
Mike Jeram, UNISONs Head of Business and Environment, said:
"This will be a devastating blow to a loyal workforce at a time of huge economic uncertainty. UNISON is pressing the company to avoid compulsory redundancies.
The energy sector is ploughing billions of pounds into renewing the infrastructure that guarantees the UKs electricity supplies, yet cutting jobs that are necessary to run it.
We need urgent action from the Government, as cutting jobs will put any investment in energy supplies at risk."
The networks are in London and the South East and East Anglia
Source: Unison
