GMB 22/24 Worple Road LONDON SW19 4DD Tel: 020 8971 4209 Fax:
020 8944 6139 http://www.gmb.org.uk/
PRESS RELEASE
1 of 2 pages
Thursday 14th May 2009
Immediate Release
Attention: News desk, Energy, Industrial and Political
Correspondents
182 WORKERS AT THE NEWCASTLE
NATIONAL GRID OFFICE WHICH CARRIES OUT PAYROLL FUNCTIONS FOR THE
WHOLE COMPANY, RAISES PURCHASE ORDERS AND INVOICING FACE THE SACK
AND THEIR JOBS BEING MOVED TO INDIA
It is utterly shameful that
National Grid a hugely profitable business that makes money from
British consumers could be even considering off-shoring jobs to a
low wage economy says GMB
National Grid, the international
electricity and gas company, today announced preliminary results
for the year ended 31 March 2009. GMB union commented on the
results and in particular the company plan to close offices in
Tyneside and move the jobs offshore to India.
There are approximately 182 employees
working on the Newcastle Site based at: Quorum Four, Quorum
Business Park, Benton Lane, Newcastle upon Tyne.
The Newcastle National Grid office
carries out payroll functions for the whole company, raises
purchase orders and invoicing.
Gary Smith, GMB Secretary for energy
said "This is not so much National Grid as national greed!
It is utterly shameful that a hugely profitable business that makes
money from British consumers could be even considering off-shoring
jobs to a low wage economy like India.
National Grid are currently
restructuring part of their business which is a shared services
function. Shared services deal with things such as invoicing,
payment and human resources. Working together the unions have
managed to save millions of pounds in shared services, but the
company wants more. The company has refused to rule out the
possibility of off-shoring work. They have invited a number of
companies to put in proposals about how they could do the business
through out-sourcing. National Grid have consistently refused to
rule out the possibility of off-shoring work to
India."
End
Joan Anderson, GMB Officer on 07870
176732, Gary Smith, GMB National Secretary on 07710 618909 or GMB
Press Office: Steve Pryle on 07921 289880 or Rose Conroy on 07974
251823.
Notes To Editors
National Grid have told GMB
that they had been talking to five outside companies about them
delivering the services currently carried out in the Newcastle
Office. It was also made clear that some of the work currently
carried about the employees in Newcastle could be off-shored if the
companies decided to outsource the work.
National Grid Management told Mr
Byers MP that they have as yet made no decision on the future of
these jobs. They have confirmed that they will be inviting outside
companies to put in Invitations for Proposals to run the work
currently carried out in Newcastle. Trade Unions advised their
members that in their view closing the Newcastle operations is
likely to be National Grid's favoured option.