GMB to Ballot 5,500 British Gas Engineers on Strike Action in Run Up to Christmas

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Date: 07 November 2005

Centrica Propose Closure of Pension Scheme to New Starters.

5,500 GMB members working as British Gas Engineers will be balloted in the run up to Christmas over the company's intention to close the Centrica Final Salary Pension scheme to new starters from April 2006. The result of the ballot will be known around midday on 25th November 2005. If any industrial action results from ballot it will begin in December.

An unofficial consultative ballot has shown that this highly skilled and union organised workforce is opposed to the company's plans to disadvantage future British Gas Engineers and that there is a wish to take action to protect their new colleagues pensions rights.

GMB expects that the next valuation will show the scheme to be virtually fully funded and completely viable. Only two years ago the members and Centrica agreed to increase employee contributions by 1% in order to keep the scheme open.

Talks on the future of the pension fund ended in stalemate. Brian Strutton, GMB National Secretary said,

"I have notified British Gas of GMB's intention to ballot our 5,500 British Gas Engineer members over the company's threat to close the pension scheme to new starters as from April 2006. I doubt that GMB members will be up for selling off the pension rights of future British Gas Engineers and are ready to take industrial action to secure the scheme for everyone for the future. However, we have offered the company to review the position at the next pension's valuation and that seems to us to be reasonable.

"Keeping in mind that the weather forecasters are saying that the winter is going to be extremely cold then we need to get this sorted out soon."

End

Contact: Brian Strutton, GMB National Secretary on 07860 606137 or Rose Conroy, GMB Press Officer on 07974 251823.

Notes to Editors: Centrica is the parent group of British Gas.

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