British Gas Closes Oldbury Office – 684 Job Losses

Phil Black - PII Editor 21/04/2016

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This announcement is further evidence of the way British Gas now sees staff as pawns to be sacrificed when it suits says GMB.

GMB, the union for British Gas workers, has reacted angrily to the announcement this morning that British Gas intends to close its office in Oldbury and put 684 staff, most of whom are GMB members, out of a job.

The announcement follows news on Monday (20th April 2016) that parent company Centrica will cut 3,000 jobs in 2016, having cut 800 jobs in the first three months of the year. (See notes to editors for previous GMB press releases about Centrica).

Brian Strutton, GMB National Secretary, said “This announcement has come completely out of the blue and is further evidence of the way British Gas now sees staff as pawns to be sacrificed when it suits.

The Oldbury office has been performing well, the staff there have been delivering everything asked of them and more, yet all the while the company”s top brass on their multi-million pound pay packages have been harbouring secret plans to shut them down.

The news will be devastating for the workforce and the local community, coming hot on the heels of Npower”s decision to also cut back its operations in Oldbury. GMB will fight British Gas to try to protect every job we can but today things look bleak for the Oldbury workers.”