British Gas engineers will vote over going on strike in December

GMB union members will vote on whether to take action over the firm's plan to close its final salary pension scheme to new employees from April 2006.

National officer Brian Strutton said he had told British Gas of GMB's intention to ballot 5,500 members over the plan.

He said considering that an "extremely cold" winter was predicted, a quick resolution was needed to the issue.

The engineers, who fit and fix boiler and central heating systems, will vote in the next few weeks, with the result of the ballot expected on 25 November.

GMB said an unofficial consultative ballot showed support for action to protect new employees' pension rights.

"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," he said.