Sheffield BT Strikes: Striking workers will collect food bank donations on picket lines

Union bosses representing the BT group staff, who ares striking on Monday, are urging the public to bring food bank donations to the picket lines.
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The striking staff, made up of Openreach engineers and call centre workers, will be taking in donations as they strike against real-term pay cuts.

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Communications Workers Union (CWU) Deputy General Secretary Andy Kerr said: “On Friday, BT Group workers took strike action and received overwhelming support from the public.

Dozens of BT workers in Sheffield joined 40,000 other staff across the UK today as part of a large scale walkout over pay.Dozens of BT workers in Sheffield joined 40,000 other staff across the UK today as part of a large scale walkout over pay.
Dozens of BT workers in Sheffield joined 40,000 other staff across the UK today as part of a large scale walkout over pay.
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“They showed their strength, but on Monday they will show their generosity."

The workers on strike made the decision to collect donations after The Mirror reported 14million people risk starvation as regular donors are feeling too financially pressured to continue giving.

Earlier in the year, EE, a subsidiary of the BT group, established a “communitEE pantry” for it’s poorly paid employees, which prompted BT CEO, Philip Jansen, to be given the nickname “Foodbank Phil” by staff, despite the company denying this is what it was.

Dozens of BT workers in Sheffield joined 40,000 other staff across the UK today as part of a large scale walkout over pay.Dozens of BT workers in Sheffield joined 40,000 other staff across the UK today as part of a large scale walkout over pay.
Dozens of BT workers in Sheffield joined 40,000 other staff across the UK today as part of a large scale walkout over pay.

Monday will be the second day of strike action against an imposed £1,500 pay rise for all employees, which, with RPI inflation levels now approaching 12%, was deemed “unacceptable” by the CWU.

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CWU General Secretary Dave Ward said: “Since BT Group workers have been forced to take historic strike action in defence of their standard of living, it’s obvious that ‘Foodbank Phil’ has no interest in their welfare.

“But his employees – our members – care about the contributions they make to the society they serve and the country they live in."

In a statement after the strikes were announced, BT said it engaged in “exhaustive discussions” with the union, before finally deciding on a £1,500 payment which is said is its “highest pay award in more than 20 years” for workers.

The statement said: “We have confirmed to the CWU that we won't be reopening the 2022 pay review, having already made the best award we could.

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“While we respect the choice of our colleagues who are CWU members to strike, we will work to minimise any disruption and keep our customers and the country connected.”

Monday is the final planned strike day at the moment.

You can find your nearest picket line here.