British Gas strike continues

The walkout by over 7,000 British Gas engineers is set to continue after talks between the company and the GMB general union at ACAS collapsed.

A planned four-day strike had been suspended to allow for talks in a dispute over British Gas’s controversial plans to sack all its workers and rehire them on worse terms and conditions. However, the decision was taken to resume industrial action after the company refused to drop its “fire and rehire” strategy.

The field staff bargaining group has already taken part in 18 days of strike action and is planning a further eight days to take them into March. Union officials predict the crisis could continue well into the spring.

Justin Bowden, GMB national secretary, said: “GMB’s executive has determined action could continue to mid-April in this deadlocked dispute.

“After 18 days of strikes, more than 210,000 homes are in a backlog for repairs and 250,000 planned annual service visits have been axed.”