British Gas workers vote to strike

British Gas workers have voted to strike over what union leaders describe as "macho management and bullying" in the firm, the latest in a spate of industrial unrest in the runup to the general election. The GMB union representing 8,000 British Gas workers, including gas boiler engineers and staff at distribution depots, said that 82% had backed a walkout. The union has now given management a week to respond to demands for an independent review of the worsening morale at the company before deciding whether to press ahead with strike action. The threat of a walkout at British Gas follows the weekend stoppage by cabin crew at British Airways over staffing cuts and the announcement of planned action by National Rail signal workers, sparking Labour fears that voters might blame the government for the unrest.