Union Calls For Talks With EDF

Unite the union has called for 'urgent and constructive' talks with EDF Energy, as nearly 500 workers took strike action today, Monday 16 June, in a three-pronged pay dispute.

The employees in the London, South Eastern, South West and Eastern regions started their 24 hour strike at 00.01 today which will mean delays in fixing and installing meters for customers.

Revenue protection will also be hit – as the workers going on strike include those dealing with business owners and private customers who are allegedly fiddling and stealing electricity.

The strike went ahead after talks last week, under the auspices of the conciliation service Acas, between Unite and EDF Energy broke down. The union says the crux of the dispute is the company’s failure to abide by an agreement made in 2012.

Unite regional officer Onay Kasab said: "Today's strike is very solid and sends out a clear message to management that they need to get around the table for urgent and constructive talks, otherwise more industrial action will go-ahead."

Today's strike will be followed by selective industrial action and a work-to-rule which starts immediately afterwards. There will be strike action from tomorrow, Tuesday 17th June to 27th June involving around 12 meter readers working from the Camden depot in central London.

The members taking this action work on an appointment basis and if they do not carry out work on time, EDF will be liable to fines. The action will be escalated on 23 June, when they will be joined by 20 more meter readers from Bexleyheath in a week of strike action, with further escalation on the cards.

From tomorrow, Unite is instructing members to take action short of strike action on a continuous basis. The dispute has already seen two days of strike action at the beginning of May.

(CD/IT)