Your success stories: How Prospect makes the difference for our energy members

Prospect represents more than 20,000 members across the entire energy sector. From generation to transmission, from renewables to nuclear decommissioning, we are the leading energy trade union in the UK and a powerful advocate for workers both inside and outside their workplaces.

We believe that Prospect membership is an invaluable asset for all energy professionals. But don’t just take our word for it. Here are some examples, both big and small, of the positive differences that we’re making across the energy sector.

Whether it was helping a single member, a particular group or for the entire workplace: these are just some of Prospect’s everyday success stories across the energy sector.

New fatigue policy at Scottish Power Networks

Prospect have agreed a ‘Fatigue Management Policy’ that seeks to protect members’ health and safety in Scottish Power Networks. The new policy and processes limit shift times and introduce important risk assessments in an effort to protect member safety.

Avoiding redundancies at Uniper

In 2021, Uniper placed all staff in their Technologies business at risk of redundancy. Prospect swiftly set up regular Teams meetings to inform members of progress and gain feedback.

The information collected helped us to shape our response – this rescued the number of jobs lost, give high quality advice to individual members and ensured that, in the main business, all displaced Prospect members who wanted a job were redeployed.

Maternity/Paternity improvements at Northern Ireland Electricity

Based on member feedback, union reps at Northern Ireland Electricity reviewed company provisions on maternity and paternity leave. Prospect provided a benchmarking service, which clearly showed that the company was starting to drop back in terms of its provisions and entitlements.

The company took the issue seriously, accepting that this decreased competitiveness in the job market, and impacted adversely on its equality and health strategies. As a result, enhanced pay and leave provisions were introduced.

Shift pay arrangements at National Grid

A National Grid member working in the cyber security team contacted Prospect when local management proposed a variation in shift pattern, in part reflecting an increase in remote working through the pandemic.

The employer had failed to consult the union over changes, so Prospect set up calls to seek members’ views and to share examples of shift patterns elsewhere.

Following consultation, a formal agreement was concluded that included a shift run down payment for the existing arrangement. The run-down payment was only offered following Prospect intervention and several new members joined the union as a result.

Upgrading data professionals at Northern Powergrid

Data Analysts are a crucial part of the future for networks and their professional skills are key to success. Yet, Northern Powergrid decided to treat this role as administrative and to reduce the pay of existing analysts.

Over 18 months Prospect negotiated new grades for data analysts that raised scale maxima for half the group who were already treated as engineers and upgraded the other 50%, so that new starters receive the same treatment as their long-serving colleagues.

Overtime introduced for personal contract holders at RWE

RWE generation, including biomass, hydro and hydrogen, employs over 95% of staff on personal contracts. Reward for overtime varied from nothing to complex ex-gratia payments.

Through consultation and sharing data, Prospect persuaded RWE to introduce time and a half payments backdated to 1st January. A consultative ballot and information meetings were organised by Prospect reps. Both the company and members noted the positive role of the union and the benefits to staff of membership.

Members’ meetings at EPUKI

A significant number of members at the lean-staffed EPUKI power stations work shifts so they have struggled with communication.

To address this, Prospect established regular Teams sessions so members onsite can attend in person, but colleagues off-shift can also contribute. This has doubled attendance at members’ meetings and enhanced our speed of response to individual issues.

Improved maternity leave pay across Scottish Power

Through company council engagement on behalf of members, Prospect was successful in negotiations with the employer last year that raised the maternity leave pay from six weeks to six months’ full pay.

Better pay in Scottish Power Networks

The negotiated Scottish Power Networks pay offer was 7%, which members overwhelmingly voted to accept.

By comparison staff in unrecognised areas were only given an imposed 1.5% -3% pay award.

Replacement of performance related pay (PRP) at SSE

Replacing the performance relating pay system was identified as the top priority for members at SSE. A multi-year pay campaign led by Prospect focused on fixing the pay progression system and replacing PRP with a skills-based approach.

After slow progress initially, members refused in 2021 to agree an interim award without a progression deal. In 2022 a backdated offer was made providing accelerated pay for staff in the lower half of their pay bands, with a partial pay freeze for those in the upper portion of the band to allow lower paid staff to catch up.

Following a joint union campaign, the improved offer was accepted, delivering pay rises for all staff and progression for those whose skills had previously not been recognised.

The system now in place is viewed by other companies as a model for delivering clear career progression and reward for skills acquisition.

The third year of the deal to be paid in 2023 was linked to CPI inflation currently at 9.9%. SSE working with the union has agreed to pay 5% of this award as a consolidated advance in October 2022 with the remaining balance paid in April 2023 to assist staff with the current cost of living crisis.

Better terms for graduates at EDF Energy

Prospect’s reps at EDF Energy have successfully negotiated a higher starting salary for new graduates (£30,000 from £27,500).

The relocation allowance was also raised to £4,000 for Science and Engineering graduates – double the previous amount.

Board meetings at the Civil Nuclear Constabulary

Management at the CNC have recently agreed to allow union reps to attend board meetings in order to promote transparency at the organisation.

And finally… A member testimony in their own words:

I commenced employment a good few years ago, and someone told me join the union.

I joined, although I had no idea what the union did and what I was paying my subscription for.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would find myself in the situation I did, which in short found me: suspended, facing disciplinary action and possibly dismissal.

The union fully supported me through the process, providing me with a case worker, who was also someone I could talk to in confidence, they helped me understand and digest the process I was facing. They supported me by attending meetings with me and helping my very stressed brain to ask the right questions.

I am of course here to tell my story, so it clearly worked out well for me.

You never know when you will need this support, hopefully NEVER, but if you’re not part of Prospect, please think about joining.

Read more success stories from the energy sector in our full PDF leaflet.