200 Burton jobs at risk as energy giant to close site

NPOWER is to close its Burton-on-Trent site, which employs 200 people.

The office, on the Yeoman Business Estate, is home to Npower’s customer care team for its domestic energy service.

The site will close in 2018 as part of a series of cuts after the company, owned by German energy giant RWE, reported annual losses of £99m.

Npower says it will reduce its current 26 sites and focus on three regional hubs, in the North East, Yorkshire and West Midlands. However the company is yet to detail its plans for all of its West Midlands sites, where it employs a further 2,300 people at Worcester, Oldbury and Solihull.

Eamon O’Hearn, GMB national officer, said: “It is disappointing that hard-working members, many of whom have experienced significant disruption and uncertainty over the past 12 months, are set for yet more uncertainty over the next 12.

“RWE’s German workforce would not be treated in this manner, and it is fuelling concerns that this announcement was leaked to satisfy city traders without any thought for the impact on the morale of dedicated members.

“GMB hopes that this is not the case and believes the company now has an uphill battle to ensure that this perception isn’t a reality.

“It is clear government policies are resulting in a Northern Poorhouse.”