1 December 2005
Gas problems could wreak havoc over the festive period after it was announced 6,000 British Gas engineers will participate in five 24 hour strikes in the space of a month.
The GMB union confirmed that its members will strike from 7am on December 12th, 19th and 21st, along with January 6th and 9th. Out of hours cover will also be banned overnight from December 12th to 23rd and January 4th to 10th.
The strikes come about as the workers look to protest about the withdrawal of a final salary pension scheme for new workers.
It means that 150,000 families at a time could be left without heating or hot water - though the union promised that vulnerable customers would still receive service.
Brian Scrutton, a union official, said: "We have now set out our plans for carrying out the very clear strike mandate our British Gas engineer members delivered. It is now absolutely imperative that British Gas meets with the GMB to resolve this dispute.
"We are offering cover during the period of industrial action to British Gas customers who are at risk including the elderly and those with very young children who do not have heating."
The workers attend a total of around 3,000 boiler breakdowns a day - but British Gas asserted that there would be contingency plans in place for the strike period.
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