CWU boosts jobs at BT depot in Northallerton
16th December 2011
Jobs are coming to the community of Northallerton -
home of the national distribution centre for BT's flagship
products - thanks to the persistence of the CWU.
The deal to convert 21 agency or temporary posts to permanent jobs
within BT Supply Chain was signed in time to deliver the best
Christmas present the North Yorkshire market town could hope for.
The agreement between the CWU and BT is momentous as it marks the
first time in 13 years that the Supply Chain arm has recruited any
staff, although it is the biggest private employer in the county
town of North Yorkshire. It is the BT National distribution centre
for BT Affinity, BT Total Broadband, BT Vision and BT NGA (Next
Generation Access) for the North.
It means that warehouse workers and drivers, some of whom have
worked at the depot for nearly ten years, will, for the first time,
have job security with a BT contract. They will be eligible to join
the BT pension scheme and benefit from other CWU-agreed terms and
conditions, including annual holiday pay, sickness pay, annual pay
deals and pay progression or promotion.
The long negotiating process was headed locally by the
CWU North East Branch and led by CWU assistant secretary
Grace Mitchell (pictured). Assistant branch
secretary John Blevins said: "We're
jubilant - it's fantastic news and coming just in time for
Christmas makes it extra special. At last, people who have
committed themselves to the company for years are now actually able
to apply for mortgages and it will generally improve the lives of
many families." John said the news was a boost to the area as
it coincides with unemployment statistics that show the North East
as the regions where women are being hardest hit by job losses.
Among those applying for the new posts is Joanne
Tait who said: "It's great news in these gloomy
times. It will give us local work and I will not have to travel
miles on rural transport. Plus it means security for my family and
me. What a Christmas present and a new year to look forward
to."
The agreement means that 80 per cent of the 130 Northallerton
workers will be directly employed by BT - a vast improvement on the
previous 20 per cent.
See more in the next issue of Voice, out February
2011.
