Ofgem workers can't afford electricity bills, says union

PCS members at Ofgem this morning begin their last day of strike action as it is revealed many of them are struggling to pay their electricity bills.

The workers at Canary Wharf in London and Commonwealth House in Glasgow have already completed four days’ strike action in the union’s national dispute over pay, pensions, redundancy payments and job security.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “Ofgem staff are trusted to administer vital government programmes, so it’s both shocking and ironic that many of them are struggling to pay their electricity bills.

“They love their jobs because they want to help energy customers get a fair deal from energy companies but falling pay has seen one in four workers leaving because they can no longer afford to work here.

“The government says there is no money for civil servants at the same time as spending £32m on consultants at Ofgem since the start of the energy crisis.

“It’s time for ministers to have meaningful talks with us – as they have with other unions – to put an end to this dispute.”

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