Almost 2,000 field force workers for Britain’s largest gas distribution network will walk out later this month in a dispute over pay, the GMB Union has announced.
A ballot was held after Cadent workers rejected a 2% pay increase for 2021 and 4% from July this year.
“With inflation running at 8.2%, the deal amounts to a massive real terms pay cut,” the union said.
In an announcement on Friday afternoon (8 April), GMB said turnout in the ballot was 65.1% and that almost 87% voted to strike and more than 90% voted for industrial action short of a strike.
GMB said the strike could take place as early as 22 April and has claimed it could potentially cause gas outages in England at homes and businesses throughout the North West, East and West Midlands, East Anglia and North London.
Gary Carter, GMB national officer, said: “Thousands of gas workers have been backed into a corner by Cadent’s penny-pinching.
“Workers face the worst cost of living crisis in a generation. Cadent can afford to help their workers through this by paying them more – they made £900 million last year.
“Instead, they’ve tried to force a real terms pay cut on them and now they face inconveniencing tens of thousands of people.
“This strike can still be averted – Cadent just needs to treat workers right and help them through this crisis.”
Responding to GMB’s announcement, Martin Rimmer, chief of people at Cadent, said: “I am disappointed that our operational field force has rejected the pay deal offered by Cadent of a 6.08% increase over two years.
“The pay review and negotiations had been productive over the past 18 months, with pay increases having been agreed and already paid to the majority (c. two thirds) of our workforce.
“It is disappointing that an agreement could not be reached with our operational field force represented by the GMB and Unite unions.
“Our aim now is to ensure that our customers are not impacted by any industrial action and we will continue to provide a safe and reliable gas network throughout any action.”
Rimmer added that despite the rejection of the pay deal, Cadent has implemented the pay increase to its lowest paid to a minimum of £10 per hour, ensuring they are paid above the real living wage.
He added: “We believe this is the right thing to do. Whilst all of our colleagues will receive a 6.08% pay increase, the impact of the £10 an hour minimum wage means that 37.5% of colleagues on our new contract will receive more than a 13.9% pay increase over the two years from June 2021 if the pay deal is accepted.
“This is in addition to the £750 lump sum payment made in January 2022.”