The union representing EDF Energy workers based in Hove has called off a strike scheduled for today (Wednesday 12 August).
A second strike next week on Thursday 20 August – also due to run for 24 hours from midnight – has been called off as well.
Unite, Britain’s biggest trade union, which represents almost 500 staff at EDF across the country, has accepted an offer of talks made by the company’s management.
The talks are due to start tomorrow (Thursday 13 August) about job losses, longer hours and the potential loss of pay worth up to £6,000 a year for some staff.
The dispute results from the company’s smart meter programme and the strikes would have affected the smart meter installation programme across London and the south of England.
Meter readers and fixers, office staff and managers are in dispute over the threatened pay cuts, job losses and extended working hours being demanded to install the meters.
Unite regional officer Onay Kasab said yesterday (Tuesday 11 August): “Following an offer of talks, we have agreed to suspend the action tomorrow and the strike due on 20 August.
“The employers are offering to hear our grievances via a two-person panel – one will be from the trade union side and the other will represent management.
“We are going to meet the employer on Thursday (13 August) to agree terms of reference for the panel. Unite will be entering into these negotiations in a constructive and meaningful fashion.”
In the strike ballot 85 per cent of Unite members who voted were in favour of going on strike and 92 per cent supported industrial action short of a strike.
