Union in talks with Ovo Energy over job cuts at Scottish sites

Talks are being held between Ovo Energy and the Unite union after the gas and electricity provider told staff it will shut five Scottish bases.

It is understood that about 700 people work in the firm's Perth office, with bases in Edinburgh, Cumbernauld and Dunfermline also set to close.

Unite said it aimed to secure "as many jobs as possible."

Staff have been told that 1,700 employees across the UK will lose their jobs through voluntary redundancy.

Only offices in Glasgow, Bristol and London will remain, while more employees will be supported to work from home.

Elaine Dougall from Unite told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme that the talks would give a better idea of how many jobs were affected in Scotland.

She said: "Once jobs go from the market it's almost impossible to get those jobs back.

"So from a Scottish perspective we want to try and save as many of those jobs as possible because that has not only an impact on the workers but also in the wider communities.

"Those are good, high-quality, well-paid, pensionable jobs that those people have secured for a number of years and we want to try as much as possible to keep those jobs here in Scotland."

Asked if job cuts were inevitable after recent reported losses posted by Ovo Energy, Ms Dougall said any "streamlining" should come "across the piece and not just hit front line staff in the first instance."

The job cuts are understood to be linked to the company's acquisition of SSE's household energy business two years ago and the integration of the firm into Ovo.

The firm also said it would also create a new "Ovo Academy" in Glasgow which would create "new opportunities in the city that hosted COP26 for those who want to be at the forefront of the UK's green revolution."