National Grid workers turn up heat in jobs row

Sep 12 2009 by Robert Weatherall, The Journal

EMPLOYEES at a power company yesterday stepped up their protest against plans to cut jobs in the North East.

Workers at National Grid’s Newcastle base took part in a mass walkout yesterday as fear grow that their jobs could be sent overseas.

The company is considering shedding around 180 jobs at the Quorum Business Park base as part of further cost cutting.

In a bid to mark their opposition to any job losses, workers gathered at Newcastle’s Grey’s Monument for a public rally.

Adele Foster, 32, from Cramlington, who has worked for the company for 10 years, said she and other staff had been left with no option other than to take action.

She said: “There is a feeling among the workers that it is a shame we have had to do this. We all really enjoy working for the company. There are people who have worked for the company in one form or another for 34 years and this is the first time they have gone on strike.

“The company made a profit of £3bn last year. This isn’t a business which is in danger of going under. It is a thriving business which is in a healthy position because of the hard work and dedication of its staff.

“The people who have helped make this company what it is shouldn’t be put on the scrap heap in pursuit of short term gains.”

North Tyneside MP Stephen Byers sent a message of support to the rally. Among those speaking was Gary Smith, national secretary of the GMB union.

He said: “The management of this company are raking it in while they are expecting loyal workers to lose their jobs.”

A spokesman for National Grid said: “We’re disappointed with today’s industrial action, but National Grid has a duty to make sure it is delivering its services to customers as efficiently and effectively as possible.

“Therefore we have been reviewing our internal support services right across the company – including those carried out at our Newcastle office.

“We have been looking at all options – including asking external companies for their views and recommendations.

“We recognise that these are sensitive times for employees and we are supporting our staff in every way we can. But no final decision has yet been made about the way forward. We have not taken any decisions to outsource any services or close any location.

“We have also announced we have narrowed down the number of external companies we are looking at from four to two. The recommendations are very complex, so we are looking at their proposals in more detail and have asked them, and the Internal Performance Challenge team, to present their proposals to us.

“We don’t expect to make any decisions until later in the autumn and we are committed to consulting our employees and trade unions throughout the process.”

National Grid is trying to make cost savings of £7m by 2010-11 and two other sites around the UK could also lose staff.