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Octopus Energy rejects union recognition demand, says staff decide
The GMB plans to submit a formal proposal for voluntary union recognition at the London-based energy firm, and its regional officer says he would pursue arbitration if the bid fails.
Workers are pushing for union recognition at Octopus Energy, the London-based company that has grown in the UK energy sector with a tech-driven approach and a focus on renewables, according to the UK’s Guardian Business.
The GMB union said Octopus, which it describes as a top-rated ethical business, should welcome union involvement. The union is planning to submit a formal proposal for voluntary recognition and argues that employee shareholding does not replace a formal voice on terms and conditions.
Octopus Energy said it is up to staff whether to push for union recognition, and denied the company is anti-union. A spokesperson said Octopus has engaged constructively with unions and described the firm as an outstanding employer, noting it is consistently named among the UK’s best places to work and that every employee is a shareholder.
The GMB’s Tony Tanushi said the company’s management has shown no appetite for unionisation and that, if the voluntary recognition application does not work, he is willing to take the matter to arbitration. He also said competitors offer employees a platform to provide feedback and that workers want similar opportunity.