SSE Bulletin - Hydro Redundancy Proposals - 13 May 2025
Posted on:
SSE HYDRO REDUNDANCY PROPOSALS
Dear member
During the collective consultation meetings, we have been grappling to establish why SSE is proposing to make people redundant in Hydro.
- Whether the work no longer exists?
- Whether the work is reducing and the reasons why?
- What work will remain, who will be doing it and the geographical coverage?
- Can safety be maintained with reduced numbers across Hydro?
Getting answers has not been easy and we have not received the detail we and GMB members should have.
We have been told that things will become clearer during town halls and individual consultation meetings, but we remain unconvinced and will continue to pursue these questions in the remaining collective consultation meetings.
The company has an obligation to mitigate and reduce redundancies and tell us what work remaining staff will be asked to do.
Redundancy Terms
Progress has been made on improving the redundancy terms in negotiations with SSE following feedback from members on length of service payments. The agreed terms are set out below:
Pay in Lieu of Notice (PILON): A lump sum payment based on basic salary, calculated using either contractual or statutory notice period—whichever is greater. (Statutory notice is one week per full year of service, up to a maximum of 12 weeks.)
Statutory Redundancy Pay: using the set formula based on age and length of service.
Ex-Gratia Payment: Equivalent to three months’ gross basic pay, subject to the signing of a settlement agreement.
Length of Service Enhancement: as additional weeks gross basic pay based on length of service calculated as follows:
5 to <10 years - 2 weeks pay
10 to <20 years - 4 weeks pay
20 to <30 years - 6 weeks pay
30+ years - 8 weeks pay
Now that agreement has been reached on the redundancy terms individual consultation meeting will start.
GMB's aim is to get SSE to reduce and mitigate compulsory redundancies through amending the proposals, voluntary redundancies, and redeployment.
Short term cost savings undermine maintenance and safety and will cost SSE more in the long run. Redundancies in Hydro are not the answer.
If you're not yet a member of GMB you can join online at www.gmb.org.uk
In Solidarity
GARY CARTER
NATIONAL OFFICER