Energy giants OVO will hold two crunch meetings with Perth and Kinross politicians today (January 21) over controversial plans to close its Fair City retail office.
OVO announced last week it plans to close its site at Grampian House on Dunkeld Road, where it is understood around 700 of its employees are based.
Local SNP MP Pete Wishart and MSPs John Swinney and Jim Fairlie arranged a meeting with the company’s senior management for Wednesday, however due to scheduling issues it has been rearranged for this morning.
Perth and North Perthshire MP Mr Wishart has called the redundancy plan “shameful”, while Perthshire North MSP Mr Swinney’s office confirmed he will liaise with Unite the Union throughout this process.
Conservative Mid Scotland and Fife MSPs Murdo Fraser and Liz Smith will also hold a virtual meeting with CEO of OVO retail, Adrian Letts, this afternoon.
Mr Fraser has called on OVO Energy to consider letting some of its Perth staff work from home rather than face being made redundant.
The Scottish Conservative politician also raised the issue at Holyrood with Ivan McKee, minister for business, trade, tourism and enterprise.
Mr Fraser said: “There is real anger at this move by OVO, especially when following their takeover over the retail arm of SSE, they stated they would maintain a presence in Perth.
“OVO need to consider alternatives to making all these workers redundant.
“I therefore asked the Minister if he could suggest OVO explore the possibility of allowing some Perth staff to work remotely from home if they are not able to relocate to Glasgow - thus also continuing their presence in Perth.
“To close the Perth site, with the loss of around 700 jobs, will be a massive blow to the city.”
Green Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Mark Ruskell has also written to OVO to arrange a meeting, as he urged for “greater protections” for axed OVO staff in Perth.
OVO took over the retail arm of SSE in January 2020 and confirmed to the PA its restructuring programme would see the company reduce its number of offices across the UK to just three: London, Bristol and Glasgow.
It has been reported the company plans to shed around 1700 jobs from a total workforce of 6200.
