A WINTER strike by British Gas workers is “unavoidable,” the GMB union warned today, after bosses failed to resolve a dispute over pay and conditions.

The union said the company was “ploughing on” with plans that would lead to pay cuts, and said it would now enter discussions over what emergency cover could be provided during the industrial action.

British Gas parent firm Centrica issued a new deadline of December 23 for workers to accept an offer that has already been overwhelmingly rejected in a ballot, the union said.

GMB members at British Gas are now voting on industrial action, with the result due next week.

National officer Justin Bowden said: “The company response to the 86 per cent rejection of pay cuts by members – in a very high-turnout ballot – is to set a deadline of December 23 for them to accept the same offer or be fired.

“This means that strike action in the depths of winter is now unavoidable.

“GMB will be meeting with senior representatives in the company to work out what emergency cover can be provided during the strike.”

A Centrica spokesman said the firm had made “significant progress” with its unions, adding that it expects about two-thirds of employees to have accepted the new terms and conditions by the end of the year.

“It is a real shame that GMB leadership, despite spending months shaping the proposals with us, have misled its engineering members on basic facts,” he claimed.

“When negotiations closed, all parties understood this was the best and final offer and that we must make these changes.”