BT strike looms large

The UK’s Communication Workers Union (CWU) has today sent out ballot papers to its members at BT to urge strike action. After failing to negotiate an improved pay package for staff at the UK incumbent operator, it is asking members to vote yes to a…

The UK’s Communication Workers Union (CWU) has today sent out ballot papers to its members at BT to urge strike action. After failing to negotiate an improved pay package for staff at the UK incumbent operator, it is asking members to vote yes to a walk-out.

Andy Kerr, CWU’s deputy general secretary, declared he was confident that members would vote yes to the strike.

In a statement, Kerr said: “We are amazed at the aggressive attitude of BT bosses. The company’s claim that a five percent pay rise for staff would lead to cutting back and making redundancies is an unbelievable fat-cat excuse. It would cost 3.6% of available cashflow, hardly breaking the bank”.

He lambasted the company for failing to recognise employees while still paying a 6% dividend to shareholders and a 5% pay rise plus bonuses senior executives.

“Our members have had a pay freeze, pension changes and redundancies over the last two years but now the company is profitable, inflation is high and BT is paying out big money to shareholders and senior executives”.

He added that CWU remained open to renewing negotiations with BT, which hasn’t seen a strike since 1987. He warned the company against pursuing any injunction, which he said would further exacerbate “deteriorating industrial relations”.

BT, for its part, has refused to comment on whether it would seek an injunction against such a strike. The company did confirm, however, that it had drawn up contingency plans to ensure disruption from any walkout was kept to a minimum.

The strike ballot closes on July 5.