LONDON, June 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Staff working for CE Electric will begin industrial action this Thursday (26th June). The workers at Northern Electric Distribution Limited and Yorkshire Electricity Distribution which is owned by CE Electric will begin a continuous overtime ban and withdraw standby cover indefinitely unless a dispute over pay can be resolved.

CE Electric UK are responsible for delivering electricity to over 3.7 million homes across the North East of England, Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire. Of the 1100 staff, 95% voted in favour of industrial action. The workers have rejected a 3.8% pay increase which falls way below the industry average of 5.1%. The workers are some of the lowest paid amongst distribution network organisations such as EDF, Scottish & Southern, Western Power and EON. CE Electric is the only Distribution Network Organisation which has not employed any apprentices in the last 10 years. The union believes that the company are failing to develop their staff.

CE electric is privately owned, its parent company is Mid-American Energy Holdings part of the entrepreneur and billionaire Warren Buffett's group of companies.

Unite Regional Officer, Kevan Parker says,

"Our members have to be available 365 days, 24 hours a day. They turn out in rain, sleet and snow at any time of the day or night, even Christmas day to make sure the lights stay on. During the floods in South Yorkshire the CE Electric staff worked tirelessly hour after hour in unimaginable conditions endeavouring to get customers back onto supply as quickly as possible.

CE electric's pay offer is way below the industry average. The workers are already one of the lowest paid group of workers in the electricity distribution industry. Our members feel they have no choice other than to take industrial action in order to seek a decent pay increase. This will be the first time in 25 years that there has been any industrial action."

Contact Ciaran Naidoo on +44-(0)7768-931-315