- Union claims BT boss Jansen “doesn’t think his workers are worthy of a pay negotiation”.
- Disruptions could continue into 2023 as both parties refuse to back down.
The Communication Workers Union said it may launch further industrial action against BT after the latest round of strikes ended this week.
A “union insider” reportedly told City A.M. that strikes are likely to continue into 2023. The CWU quoted Service Delivery Engineer James Mason as saying “there’s definitely a very strong resolve to carry on with the strike action”.
The CWU has not confirmed that more action is planned, but a spokesperson told TelcoTitans that the strikes are creating “needless disruption and risk to life because a boss doesn’t think his workers are worthy of a pay negotiation”.
“ BT management can’t keep hiding forever, and when they decide to get round the table and thrash out a deal to end all this, we’ll be waiting. ”
CWU spokesperson.
The CWU is set to meet with BT’s major shareholders in the coming weeks in what CWU General Secretary Dave Ward called “the natural next step” in altering the course of the dispute. Ward also played into rumours of further action calling on BT to “wake up and get back around the negotiating table to settle this dispute”.
Jansen under fire
About 40,000 BT Group workers took industrial action in October, including hundreds of the operator’s 999 emergency call handlers, who had initially been “carved out” of such plans. Disruption was caused after BT doubled down on its decision that the pay review for 2022 had concluded. Many frontline workers have been calling for a raise in line with inflation after a flat-rate pay increase of £1,500 (€1,722) was offered in April.
Much of the union’s criticism has been directly targeted towards BT Chief Executive Philip Jansen. Earlier this year, he said the Group had “done everything we possibly can to help our people”. Following his failure to reopen negotiations this summer, the CWU went as far as to seek government intervention but to no end.
Jansen previously said that BT’s flat pay rise offer “compares extremely well” with the wider industry, although such a claim is disputed. The CWU recently praised BT rival Virgin Media O2 after it confirmed that employees whose current full-time equivalent base salary is £35,000 or less will receive payment packages worth £1,400 to help with the cost-of-living crisis. The move will also stack with a 3% pay increase agreed in April to ensure that more than 50% of the operator’s employees receive additional financial support.
