GMB has formally asked Octopus Energy for union recognition.

In a letter to company founder Greg Jackson, GMB requested “voluntary recognition for the purpose of collective bargaining” on behalf of hundreds of its members across Octopus’s Manchester and Brighton sites.

The union called on Britain’s largest domestic energy supplier to react constructively and “avoid the need to pursue statutory recognition through the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC).” 

The CAC is an independent body that can force a company to recognise a union if a sufficient proportion of the workforce are members. 

Mr Jackson has previously claimed unions are not needed at the company. 

GMB regional secretary Nadine Houghton said that members’ backing for a union recognition deal was “clear,” adding: “The recognition deals we already have in place with major energy suppliers deliver a happier workforce and a more productive company.”

An Octopus Energy spokesperson said: “We’re very happy to have received a constructive request from GMB and look forward to discussions with them.

“Octopus has, once again, been named one of the best places to work and is consistently rated the best employer in the sector on Glassdoor.

“We know that a lot of our staff are concerned about GMB’s opposition to heat pumps and the electrification of heating, which is responsible for thousands of jobs at Octopus, and we look forward to understanding more about the union’s current position on the energy transition more broadly.”