The BBC has a duty to provide in-depth and ongoing coverage of British Gas dispute

12 March 2021 Download as PDF

British Gas strikers tell BBC that it has a duty to provide the public with ongoing and in-depth coverage of trade disputes

GMB members took themselves to the BBC’s Broadcasting House to make themselves available for interview as 270,000 households are in the backlog for repairs and there are 400,000 homes where planned annual service visits have been axed says GMB London

GMB London Region members are at BBC Broadcasting House to remind the corporation that it has a duty to provide the public with ongoing and in-depth coverage of trade disputes.

Strike action at British Gas, resulting in 31 days to date, is continuing. This was after a revised offer for the Field staff bargaining group, put forward by Centrica at reopened talks at ACAS, was overwhelmingly rejected by GMB members because the company’s offer did not take the threat of ‘fire and rehire’ off the table.

Gary Pearce, GMB London Region Senior Energy Officer said:

“In this dispute so far there are 270,000 homes affected by a backlog for repairs and 400,000 planned annual service visits cancelled.

“The BBC has a duty to provide in-depth and ongoing coverage of disputes.

“So as part of the ongoing dispute with British Gas, GMB members are at BBC’s Broadcasting House to make themselves available for interview so as to explain to the public the issues at stake."

End

Contact: Gary Pearce, GMB London Region Senior Officer for Energy 078 5003 6952

Notes to editors

Previous GMB London Region press releases:

11 March 2021

GMB London - Gas and electrical engineers will be on strike again from tomorrow in deadlocked dispute

5 March 2021

GMB London - British Gas engineers reject revised offer and go ahead with new strikes

26th February 2021

GMB London - British Gas strike days 23 to 26 go ahead as parent company Centrica announces £700 million profit

8th February 2021

GMB London - 12 more days to follow day 16 strike today at British Gas