GMB Annual Congress 2009
Empress Ballroom Winter Gardens Blackpool http://www.gmb.org.uk/
PRESS RELEASE
1 of 2 pages
Monday 15th June
2009
Immediate Release
Attention: News desk, Picture
Desk, Utilities, City, Industrial and Political
correspondents
GMB TO MOVE TO OFFICIAL
STRIKE BALLOT AT NATIONAL GRID NEWCASTLE TO STOP JOBS BEING
OFF-SHORED
GMB Congress told 97% of
National Grid staff have voted for strike action in a consultative
ballot as Congress debates Emergency Motion
GMB Congress today at Blackpool were
told that the Union is to move to an official strike ballot at
National Grid Newcastle in a bid to stop 181 jobs being out sourced
to India. The congress was told that 97% of these staff have
already voted to take action in a consultative ballot organised by
the Union last week.
These announcements came as the
Congress was due to debate an Emergency Motion calling on the Union
to support the National Grid workers submitted by the GMB Northern
Region. See text of motion in Notes to Editors below.
Gary Smith, GMB National Secretary
speaking at Blackpool said, "This proposed
site closure is nothing but an act of irresponsible corporate
greed, made possible by Ofgem's failed and discredited regulatory
regime.
National Grid
recently announced massive global profits of £2,915 million
in the year ending 31st march 2009, a 12% increase on
the previous year. Despite these huge profits, staff and unions at
Newcastle have been working with the company to identify further
cost savings of £3m. The company plans to sack these workers and
offshore their jobs.
The vote in the consultative
ballot was almost unanimous in favour of strike action. The next
step is to organise an official strike ballot to stop the off
shoring of these jobs.
It is time to put an end to
National Grid greed."
Ends
Contact: Gary Smith,
GMB National Secretary on 07710 618909 or Joan Anderson, GMB
Organiser on 07870 176732 or GMB Press Office: Steve Pryle on 07921
289880 or Rose Conroy on 07974 258123.
Notes to Editors;
This is the text of the Emergency Motion to be debated today
(Monday 15th June) at the GMB Congress in Blackpool.
National Grid
Greed
Congress notes with dismay the
announcement made at a meeting with GMB shop stewards on Friday
5th June 2009 of impending redundancies at national
grid's Newcastle site. congress further notes that national grid's
plans to close this site would destroy 181 local jobs in its shared
services function in Newcastle, and that the company have
consistently failed to rule out offshoring work currently carried
out in Newcastle to low wage economies such as India.
Congress believes this site
closure is nothing but an act of irresponsible corporate greed,
made possible by ofgem's failed and discredited regulatory regime.
Congress notes that National Grid recently announced
massive global profits of £2,915 million in the year ending
31st march 2009, a 12% increase on the previous year.
Notwithstanding these huge profits, staff and unions at Newcastle
have been working with the company to identify further cost savings
of £3m. Yet despite this, the company plans to sack these workers
and offshore their jobs.
Congress condemn's national grid's
actions in the strongest possible terms. it pledges full support to
the workers in the fight to save their jobs, and calls upon the
company to abandon this unnecessary and unjustified
closure.
Congress calls for the CEC to
instigate a national campaign of opposition to National Grid, by
mounting local opposition to any planning applications submitted by
the company throughout the UK.
Congress also recognises that
National Grid is set to benefit financially from the huge
investment required in the UK's energy infrastructure, and
therefore calls upon government ministers to intervene and support
GMB members who are the victims of the company's corporate greed
by:
- exerting the maximum possible pressure on National Grid to
exercise some loyalty and commitment towards the Newcastle
workforce that has helped it to become a successful and highly
profitable business.
- changing the rules by which Ofgem operates to ensure that
in considering future funding rounds, socio-economic considerations
are taken into account, such as the need to ensure companies retain
skilled UK jobs.
Transco 1 Branch, GMB
Northern Region
2 Please will
any media wishing to attend GMB Congress please register with
charlotte.gregory@gmb.or.uk or 020 8947 3131.
3 GMB
Congress photographs will be available from GMB official
photographer Andrew Wiard on 07973 219201 or andrew@reportphotos.com.
4 Watch Live
GMB TV at www.gmb.org.uk