Gas workers strike for South East allowances

Gas workers have staged the first in a series of 24-hour walkouts in a dispute over allowances.

About 650 Transco emergency gas engineers, transmission operatives, pipe-laying and repair workers are on strike in London and the South East. They are campaigning for more money to cover the extra cost of living in the region.

Ed Blissett, organiser at their union, the GMB, said: "In some cases, they receive only £650 more than workers in the north of England and Scotland and Cornwall. Gas workers have to live within one hour's travelling time of their workplace as a condition of their employment, and so live in the most expensive parts of the country - but are not adequately compensated."