A British Gas boss will be hauled before MPs for a grilling over attempts to force staff to take new contracts with a “fire and rehire” policy.
The firm’s 20,000 workers have been told they could lose their jobs unless they agree to new terms on less pay.
Chris O'Shea, chief executive of the utility firm's parent company Centrica, has been called to give evidence to the Commons Business Select Committee on Tuesday.
GMB union members at British Gas have taken several days of strikes in protest at planned changes to pay and conditions, and will launch a fresh wave of industrial action later this week.
MPs are set to probe issues including unemployment, skills, “fire and rehire” and mass redundancies when the committee meets.
Chairman and Labour MP Darren Jones said: "Businesses and workers have had a very tough time over the last year.
“Over 800,000 people have lost their jobs since the pandemic took hold and there are very real fears that many more people will face the same bleak fate over the coming months.
"There is no doubt that many businesses have faced difficult trading conditions but concerns have been raised that some employers are resorting to tactics such as 'fire and rehire' and seeking to downgrade pay and workers' terms during the pandemic.
"It's important we begin to understand the long-term impact for workers from the Covid pandemic, examining how we can improve future employment legislation to ensure the protection of workers, including those working the gig economy, and also ensure we modernise the labour market to foster future jobs growth."
GMB national officer Justin Bowden, who is also due to appear before the committee, said: "British Gas' 'fire and rehire' cuts have provoked strikes, leading to a backlog of more than 150,000 homes waiting for service and 200,000 boiler service visits axed so far.
"There are serious questions as to why a profitable British Gas is treating customers and staff so badly.
"The numbers awaiting service are growing as more strikes are planned and the only way to end the dispute is to take fire and rehire off the table.
"We look forward to the select committee seeing what fire and rehire means in practice.
“In our view it has no place in a modern industrial framework and should be outlawed."
A Centrica spokesman said: "Our business needs to change to survive and protect 20,000 jobs.
“We know change is difficult but we have offered a fair deal that has been negotiated over 300 hours with unions, where base pay and pensions are protected.
"Eighty-three percent of our employees have already agreed to the new terms."
