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British Gas Staff News

Dear Member,

In this update you will find information regarding the following:-

• British Gas Business - Level 8 Pay Award
• Moving from BGT employment contracts to BGB employment contracts



• British Gas – it's the ONE you know!!
• Bringing Metering In House
• Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures
• Holiday Years

British Gas Business - Level 8 Pay Award

BGB Management have indicated that they are to award all BGB L8 people with a a base pay increase of 3%. This will be effective from 1 April 2009.

A 3% increase may not seem great compared with the 4.1% increase in BGRE agreed in the 4th quarter of 2008. However, given the current economic downturn and the fact that inflation has been spiralling down, it does seem to be a fair deal. Especially when we’re at a time where many businesses have clawed back pay increases and/or not offered any at all.

Moving from BGT employment contracts to BGB employment contracts

As a result of the recent changes to the BGB reward scheme, staff on BGT contracts working in British Gas Business are now being given the option to transfer to BGB terms and conditions or remain as they are.

It is important for everyone in this situation to note they have 3 options.

We strongly recommend that if you are considering transfering to a BGB contract that you speak with us and seek financial advice (free to UNISON members):

1. Remain as you are and keep your existing BGT terms and conditions

• Final salary pension scheme
• Bonus potential of up to 12% of your quartely base pay (also paid quarterly)
• Annual leave allowance aligned to your length of service which starts and ends from your birth month in the year
• A cost of living pay increase on 1 Jan each year agreed by Trade Union and BGT

2. Transfer to BGB terms and conditions and KEEP you final salary pension scheme

• Final salary pension scheme
• Bonus potential of up to 12% of base pay quarterly
• Annual leave allowance of 25 days per annum from 1 June to 31 May
• A performance based pay increase paid on 1 April each year – the potential % increase is decided by Centrica plc

3. Transfer to BGB terms and conditions but opt for the FlexSA benefits and defined contribution pension scheme. We highly recommend you seek financial advice if considering this option

• Defined contribution pension scheme
• Bonus potential of up to 12% of base pay quarterly
• Annual leave allowance of 25 days per annum from 1 June to 31 May
• A performance based pay cost of living increase paid on 1 April each year – the potential % increase is decided by Centrica plc
• FlexSA: 3% of base pay on flexible benefits

Should you have any queries with above, please speak with a trade union representative

British Gas – it's the ONE you know!!

At a meeting of the British Gas Energy NJC held on 11th March a full discussion took place on the future for British Gas following the announcements made by Phil Bentley in February. Members will be aware that Centrica has decided to bring together British Gas Services and BG Energy (including British Gas Business) into one new management structure headed up by Phil Bentley. Hence the 'One British Gas'.

UNISON is aware that some members have been raising concerns about what this all means for employees and their workplaces. The company has made it clear to UNISON that they have no plans to close existing sites and in fact are recruiting more staff at most sites and are planning to invest more to make them better places in which to work. However what does seem likely is that both Services and Energy customer service centres will, over time, become more integrated with all sites selling packages of products that may, for example, include energy, central heating and other services.

UNISON reps and activists have queried what this means for the existing bargaining machinery. UNISON has been told that there are no plans to change the present set up so the NJCs for BG S and BG E will remain in place. However UNISON has proposed that a new Strategic Joint Forum would be useful that would operate at a high level and be concerned with company wide issues and developments that fall within Phil Bentley’s domain. Such a forum would probably meet just once or twice each year.

Bringing Metering In House

UNISON is pleased to learn of the company's decision to bring back in house most of its meter installation work. At the moment this is contracted out to a number of companies including United Utilities and National Grid Onstream. The main reason for doing this relates to the Government’s encouragement for Energy Companies to move quickly to install Smart Meters. This will be a huge exercise and will provide BG with new opportunities to develop its relationship with their customers.

The intention is to create a new in house workforce by about mid 2010, some of which will comprise employees who transfer in from the existing contractors under TUPE. In the end the company expects there to be over 2000 employees as part of the metering business with another 500 or so support staff. BG’s Training Academy will be gearing up to train operatives in the skills needed to install smart meters. UNISON will be working hard to ensure that any transfers of employment that take place are handled properly in accordance with the TUPE provisions. Members will be kept informed of developments.

Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures

Some minor revisions to the existing procedures have been considered to bring them into line with new recently published ACAS Guidelines. It is expected that the new versions will be finalised in the next week or so and be published soon thereafter.

Holiday Years

Discussions are just beginning to explore the potential to harmonise the anniversary date for calculating holiday entitlement. Some staff are still on birthdays while others are tied in to Flexsa. We know this affects L7 members but also affects some L8 members as well. Further enquiries are being made.

To obtain your own copy of the bulletin, please click here [word document]

Members are reminded that they can contact their local representative to express their views or to forward any questions. Alternatively, please feel free to email us at queries@unisoncymruwalesgas.org.uk - other contact methods may also be found at the bottom of this message.

Regards,

Unison Cymru/Wales Gas

Contact us with your queries:

• by email - queries@unisoncymruwalesgas.org.uk
• by speaking with your local UNISON representative - click here
• or online - click here


All communication will be dealt by a UNISON representative
and will be treated confidentially.

• How has the office move affected you?

To find out more about the above, please visit our website or click here.

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