BT “risking further lives” as 999 disruption continues tomorrow
COMMUNICATION WORKERS UNION
19/10/2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BT GROUP “RISKING FURTHER LIVES” AS 999 DISRUPTION SET TO CONTINUE TOMORROW
BT Group CEO Philip Jansen has been accused of “running from his responsibilities” as 999 handlers employed by him will join other BT call centre workers and Openreach engineers on strike tomorrow against poverty pay.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) – which represents BT Group workers – will be walking out again on strike tomorrow (Thursday 20thOctober), in a strike of 30,000 Openreach engineers and 10,000 BT call centre workers that has taken place throughout the summer.
The dispute centres on workers opposing the imposition by company management of an incredibly low flat-rate pay rise.
Earlier this year, BT offered and implemented a £1,500 per year pay increase for employees.
In the context of RPI inflation levels already hitting 12.6% this year, this is a dramatic real-terms pay cut for workers who were considered vital during the pandemic.
It is also in the wider context of BT making £1.3 billion in annual profit, with CEO Philip Jansen gaining a £3.5 million pay package – a 32% wage increase – while the Big Issue and the BBC have reported instances of BT Group offices establishing food banks to assist employees.
At the time of writing, Jansen has refused to engage in pay negotiations and has not been seen in the media.
In August, his absence caught the attention of Labour Party Deputy Leader Angela Rayner, who labelled his conduct “highly unusual” and “deeply damaging … to the interests of the country as a whole” in a letter to him.
The striking workers look after much of Britain’s telecoms infrastructure, from mobile phone connection, broadband internet and back-up generators to NHS systems, cyber security and data centres.
Over 500 of them also handle 999 emergency calls at call centres across the country.
In previous strikes, BT and the CWU agreed they would be strike-exempt, but they walked out for the first time earlier this month because of Jansen’s continued refusal to negotiate.
CWU General Secretary Dave Ward said: “Thursday will see another day of needless disruption because a boss is happy to wreck workers’ livelihoods and run away from his responsibilities.
“Philip Jansen won’t justify his decision to put workers into serious hardship – and risk further lives – because he can’t.
“The result of this is 999 emergency call handlers once again joining BT Openreach engineers and call centre workers out on strike.
“A company that made more than £1 billion in profit – and a boss who gave himself a 32% pay rise – cannot and should not be ignoring these people.
“This is a crisis that BT management cannot keep on hiding from.
“When they decide to get round the table and negotiate a fair deal to end this dispute, the CWU will be waiting.”
CWU Deputy General Secretary Andy Kerr said: “When the 999 callers are out on strike, you know something is going very wrong in this country.
“Time and time again, we have asked for negotiations to resolve what is a dangerous dispute – only to be ignored.
“But BT Group workers are sick of this corporate arrogance, and they are determined and united.
“They will fight hard to get the proper pay rise and the dignity that they deserve.”
ENDS
Please note that a mass rally of postal workers and striking BT Group workers will take place on Thursday 20th October at Brighton Delivery Office, North Road, BN1 1YD. Speakers include CWU General Secretary Dave Ward and RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch amongst others.
For more information or media requests, please contact CWU Press Officer Marcus Barnett on mbarnett@cwu.org or 07812 590450.