More than 40,000 BT and Openreach employees have continued strike action today (Monday 24 October), in an ongoing dispute regarding what they have reported is a real-terms pay cut.
According to the Communication Workers Union (CWU), which represents the employees, the strike concerns a flat rate pay rise of £1,500 BT imposed earlier in 2022, following no consolidated increase in 2021 and a below inflation raise in 2020. With inflation now at 10.1%, the CWU stated that this was a pay cut in real terms.
BT, meanwhile, reported that this is the highest pay award in 20 years, representing a 5% and 8% pay rise for eligible staff.
The union also suggested there had been misrepresentations about both the percentage value of the pay increase, and about protracted pay discussions with the union preceding it, which the CWU said were halted by BT after six meetings, only two of which included firm offers.
In response to suggestions from the business that it could not afford a higher pay increase for staff, the union pointed to its annual profits of £1.3 billion, £761 million payouts in shareholder dividends, and remuneration package increases of 32% for the CEO and 25% for the CFO this year.
Among 28,425 Openreach staff, a 74.8% turnout saw 95.8% vote in favour of strike action, and for 10,353 BT employees, a 58.2% turnout gained a 91.5% vote in favour of striking.
The CWU reported that this is the first national strike BT has seen in 35 years, and has so far caused serious delays across all parts of the business. The union said it plans to re-ballot the entire workforce, including employees of EE, as well as instigate longer and more intense bouts of industrial action in the future.
The strikes, which commenced on 10 October, have included emergency service call handlers based at 999 call centres for the first time, who were previously exempt from CWU strike action.
Andy Kerr, deputy general secretary of CWU, said in a bulletin to members: “The BT twitter account is full of customers claiming that they are now waiting months to have their broadband connected. Additionally reports across the UK confirm that queues for provision and repair are increasing, on a cumulative basis, following each day of strike action.
“Members have shown their strength by their continued support for strike action and this is impacting the company’s performance. It’s now vital that we keep up the pressure by overwhelming support for the next two days of industrial action.”
A BT Group spokesperson said: “We know that our colleagues are dealing with the impacts of high inflation and, whilst we respect the right of colleagues to take industrial action, we are profoundly disappointed that the CWU is prepared to take this reckless course of action by including 999 services in strikes.
“We will do whatever it takes to protect 999 services: redeploying our people to the most important priority is a normal part of BT Group operations.
“We made the best pay award we could in April and we have held discussions with the CWU to find a way forward from here. In the meantime, we will continue to work to minimise any disruption and keep our customers and the country connected.”