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2,600 Jobs Slashed As OVO Backtrack On SSE Promise

19th May 2020

OVO is reneging on its promise that no jobs would be lost, whilst soaking up taxpayers money.

GMB, the union for OVO/SSE staff has hit out after the energy giant's betrayal in slashing 2,600 jobs.

The energy giant, which bought SSE back in September, had promised that there would be no job losses, but has now backtracked in a move that will see large job losses in both Scotland and South Wales.

Despite OVO claiming that Coronavirus crisis has sped up the integration of the two businesses, the announcement comes whilst the company is knee deep in utilising the governments Furlough scheme, skimming taxpayers cash whilst planning to offshore hundreds of jobs.

The job losses will effect hundreds of gas engineers, electricians, meter readers, call centre staff and office workers.

GMB argue that the restructure should be paused, and have called on the government to amend the scheme to ensure that companies who take government money from the Job Retention Scheme (JRS) are prevented from immediately making redundancies for at least year.

Justin Bowden, GMB senior organiser said:

"Coronavirus outbreak or not, this is a massive betrayal of promises made to workers and politicians that the sale to OVO would not result in job losses.

"The crisis and the SVT cap have affected the whole energy retail market but you cannot just cut your way out of a crisis in search of profit.

“Whilst we were able to save 700 jobs from offshoring for now, this is still 2,600 good UK jobs from a company that is busy soaking up taxpayers money from the furlough scheme.

“GMB says companies who take government money from the Job Retention Scheme (JRS) should be prevented from making redundancies for at least year."