“‘A living nightmare’: British Gas workers strike over ‘fire and rehire’ plans”, 20 January 2021

British Gas engineers have told of the “living nightmare” of going on strike as they return to the picket line today over ‘fire and rehire’ plans floated by bosses.

Bill Hawthorne, a British Gas engineer from Fife who has worked for the company for five years, claims the changes to his working conditions could see him lose between £8,000 and £15,000 a year.

The 34-year-old said: “It’s a very uncertain time, it’s making me very anxious that a multimillion-pound company can do this to its workforce.

… [T]he uncertain future created by contract changes has left him worrying about the impact on his family life, warning that the changes may mean his partner must return to work full-time as a teacher and lead to rising childcare costs for six-year-old Max.

“I would honestly love to have [British Gas chief executive] Chris O’Shea just to come out in the vehicle with us,” added Hawthorne.

“During Covid times we’re not only gas engineers, but counsellors for people. Most people we meet, we go in and they’re lonely.

Dan, a British Gas engineer for 18 years from the south of England, told The Big Issue that he feels like workers are “taking a stand for everyone” in a week where reports of the 48-hour week being scrapped sparked fears over workers’ rights across the board. Dan said: “Nobody in any industry should be allowed to change workers’ contracts like this.

Dan, a father-of-two, describes himself as the sole breadwinner of his family and warns proposed changes to his contract and the uncertainty of the strike action is taking its toll.

Another engineer, who wished to remain anonymous, from South Wales insists that the proposed changes will mean that he is expected to work approximately 150 hours extra per year for no extra pay. And he fears the impact that will have on caring for his elderly father-in-law who suffers with Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia.