ELECTRICAL workers are hitting back at what union leaders call an 'appalling act of deception' with a second day of strike action at Crewe.
They picketed outside the ScottishPower/Manweb offices on Macon Way, claiming that the company had broken a partnership agreement with the unions, which would safeguard their jobs.
Now workers fear jobs like new connections could be taken out of their hands leaving them redundant.
The Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union, say they entered into an agreement in May 2000 which stated that all 11 companies under the ScottishPower/Manweb umbrella would be retained and committed the management and union to a working partnership.
But in July of this year, the company announced it was to set up a joint venture with McAlpine/Kennedy and transfer 320 jobs to a new company Core Facilities.
AEEU spokesman Mike Barr said: 'Workers feel the company has gone behind their backs.'
Scottish Power spokeswoman Anne Benson, said: 'We have stressed that the proposed joint venture with McAlpine is the only option offering long term security for the new connections business,' she said.
