Legal Battle Over “Fire‑and‑Rehire” Payments Hits the Trunk of Centrica
GMB Union kicks off a courtroom showdown on Monday, taking Centrica—the owners of British Gas—to a Reading Employment Tribunal for allegedly sweet‑tasting the workers before a full‑blown strike.
What’s at Stake?
- About 3,000 British Gas engineers, all represented by Thompsons Solicitors, are saying cash‑bacon was offered to them while the company was still grinding out a fire‑and‑rehire strategy.
- The Tribunal will decide whether these payments violated Section 145(b) of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, which bars employers from enticing staff away from collective bargaining.
- By 2021, these engineers walked out for more than 40 days, fighting a company that threatened to fire them only to bring them back under worse conditions.
Why It Matters
When Centrica finally let almost 500 engineers go, the whole fire‑and‑rehire saga lit the political spotlight. The Labour Party wants to outlaw the practice if it wins office, and Boris Johnson publicly denounced the approach during the dispute.
GMB’s Take
Andy Prendergast, GMB National Secretary, said:
“GMB believes the offer, made while negotiations were still ongoing, was a blatant attempt to undermine our union—covering over 90% of British Gas engineers. The decision to fire and rehire was a colossal blunder that damaged the British Gas brand and terrified loyal staff. It cost millions and directly led to 460 people being let go. Today we go to court to rectify that wrong. Winning may not put our members back in their jobs, but it will hold British Gas financially accountable. We’re proud to stand with our members and vow to end fire‑and‑rehire forever.”
What’s Next?
The Tribunal will weigh whether Centrica’s pre‑strike payments really slipped the law. GMB hopes for a verdict that makes Altisent pay for its mistake—and that bans these shady tactics for good.
