- Communication Workers Union feels it had “no option but to up the ante” after BT “refused to negotiate” on pay.
- BT and Openreach workers commence strike on Thursday, with three more days of action to follow in October.
- Operator accuses union of being “reckless”; CWU responds ‘pot kettle’.
- BT’s Phillip Jansen “does not deserve to be CEO” says union’s Deputy General Secretary.
The Communication Workers Union said it had “no option but to up the ante” following criticism of its decision to include emergency call handlers in its ongoing strike action against BT.
On Thursday, some 40,000 BT and Openreach employees downed tools for a third time as part of a long-running pay dispute, with further strikes planned for 10, 20, and 24 October.
More than 500 emergency call handlers are expected to join the CWU’s latest round of action across seven locations in the UK. Arguably, the most notable among these is in Northern Ireland, which has only one 999 call centre in the country.
BT told Sky News that it will have “experienced agency teams” working on strike days and “expects a number of our colleagues” will attend work as normal. It has also “been training colleagues” to “fill gaps from any absences”.
CWU General Secretary Dave Ward said “999 operators are using foodbanks; they’re worried about the bills and are being stretched to the limit. It’s no surprise that the goodwill of workers has run dry, and that services will now be hampered”.
A BT Group spokesperson said the operator is “profoundly disappointed” that the union would encourage 999 operators to strike, calling the move a “reckless course of action”.
“We will do whatever it takes to protect 999 services”, the spokesperson added.
Speaking on a live YouTube video on Wednesday, CWU President Karen Rose said, “I would throw right back at them”, accusing BT of being “reckless and negligent” in its alleged refusal to negotiate on pay.
| Source: TelcoTitans. | |
| Round one | 29 July and 1 August |
|
Round two |
30–31 August |
|
Round three |
6, 10, 20, and 24 October |
BT has been firm in its assertion that the pay review for 2022 has concluded. Speaking on the operator’s earnings call for Q1 FY22–23, Chief Executive Philip Jansen said the strike, “where nobody wins”, is an “extremely sad” situation (BTwatch, #337).
However, asked if he would consider further increasing salaries for frontline staff, he replied, “why would I do that?”, insisting that “we’ve done everything we possibly can to help our people”, and that BT’s flat £1,500 (€1,719) pay rise “compares extremely well” with the wider industry.
As part of Wednesday’s ‘pre-strike rally’ on YouTube, the CWU promoted a front-page Daily Mirror report highlighting Jansen’s £3.5m annual remuneration. It was claimed to be 86 times higher than that of the operator’s average salary.
CWU Deputy General Secretary Andy Kerr said that anyone forcing employees into an “eat or heat” dilemma over the winter “does not deserve to be CEO”.
Conflicting reports
Ward has previously asserted that the strikes have “rocked” BT.
Following the first strike, however, BT said it had “kept the network running safely and effectively”, and that there were “no national incidents or outages”.
The operator has repeatedly claimed to be in discussions with the union, while Ward again accused BT of “refusing to negotiate”.
Speaking to Sky News live on Thursday, Ward said “every other dispute in the UK at the moment involves talks”.
“ This is a company where levels of arrogance, hypocrisy, and greed know no bounds. ”
Ward.
The reality of the disruption caused by the national ballot remains unclear. While it is improbable that BT would admit to having encountered significant issues, the CWU is equally likely to hyperbolise.
Impasse reached
It would appear that no progress has been made since strike action first commenced in late-July.
Speaking on YouTube, Kerr said the CWU will look at “different ways of having industrial action” in the weeks and months to come. He was tight-lipped on what that might entail, but one example — as raised by live audience members — was the potential for an overtime ban. “Everything is up for consideration”, said Kerr.
Ballots in support of industrial action are effective for six months, or nine months with the agreement of the employer, in England, Scotland, and Wales. There is no set timeframe on the expiry of an industrial action ballot in Northern Ireland, provided action is taken within eight weeks of the result.
The results of the national ballot were announced in late-June, giving the CWU until the end of the year (or the end of March 2023, if agreed by BT) before it is forced to secure a second round of votes.
“ We’ve got a set of ideas on how we could resolve this dispute, and the best way to do that is to get in a room [with BT]. We’ll put forward some fresh proposals, and we want BT to put forward some fresh proposals. That’s how you resolve disputes. ”
Ward.
The first strike action took place after the CWU secured an overwhelming majority vote for BT and Openreach members. EE staff, however, could not follow suit after failing to reach the government’s 50% participation threshold.
The £1,500 pay increase came into effect on 1 April 2022 and applies to frontline employees such as contact centre staff, engineers, and retail workers. It affects approximately 58,000 of BT Group’s 93,000 employees in the UK, across BT, EE, Plusnet, and Openreach. It will cost BT in the region of £87m.
However, the CWU has repeatedly refused the “imposed” salary increase, insisting that any pay rise must be negotiated and agreed upon. The union initially demanded a 10% increase for all BT employees, though such specifics have faded in recent communications (BTwatch, #334–#335 and passim).
While the BT and Openreach strike is the largest in decades, industrial action has become increasingly commonplace in other UK sectors in 2022, in the wake of the cost-of-living crisis. Walkouts in logistics, postal, rail, and transport services are ongoing, while barristers voted to begin indefinite industrial action in early-September 2022. Doctors, teachers, and waste disposal workers are also taking action in calls for pay increases
