by Derek Kotz
Industrial Reporter

MORE than 7,500 British Gas engineers and call-centre staff kicked off five days of strike action today, with workers “solidly” respecting socially distanced picket lines across Britain.

GMB said that its members, who last month voted to strike by a nine-to-one margin, had been provoked into action by the company’s threat to fire and rehire workers on inferior pay and conditions.

“GMB members from Land’s End to John O’Groats have stayed home, stayed safe and supported the first national gas strike in a decade,” said national secretary Justin Bowden.