BT could face strike action over ‘threat to jobs’ says CWU
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) says British Telecoms is on an ‘industrial relations collision course’ after three decades of industrial stability.
At the heart of the dispute is a site relocation programme, which the union says has already seen compulsory redundancy notices being served on desk-based engineering staff in the UK, while, they say, that work will be off-shored to India.
Now they are urging members to back the union to help protect terms and conditions and jobs in an upcoming ballot.
A spokesman for CWU said: “This is attacking job security, long standing agreements and established terms of conditions of its employees. The company has announced new plans which will result in more British jobs being exported at a time of increasing UK unemployment.
“This decision casts doubt over the corporate social responsibility of a successful company that is exporting jobs at a time of a burgeoning UK unemployment crisis.”
Despite the CWU offering alternative and long established jointly agreed measures of dealing with staffing issues, it says the company continues to drive forward its transformation programme without consideration of avoiding compulsory redundancies.
This follows what the union says is the company’s ‘provocative decision’ this May to serve notice on a 2018 Pensions Agreement which contains a legally binding annexe that sets out the company’s responsibilities to employees in any redundancy situation.
The CWU has been running an industrial campaign since July and despite the Covid-19 restrictions they are building a substantial membership support against BT.
BT has confirmed that it is going through a process of immense change which could see total job numbers fall, but it says this will be mainly via not filling vacancies. The CWU says it strongly contests the statement, saying current evidence suggests otherwise.
Roger Pheasey of the CWU South Yorkshire Branch said: “BT has changed as a company which respects its workforce and its industrial relationship with the CWU is at an all-time low. Many of our members are key workers who have kept this country connected during the current pandemic, they have ensured the telecoms infrastructure has been maintained and in particular supporting home workers and the economy through this very difficult period.
“BT Group says their plans are not widespread but the reality is no job is safe. This union will defend our jobs and national agreements.”
Ballot
The union has announced that it will be calling a National Consultative Ballot, commencing on November 19, 2020, to ask their members support for a statutory Industrial Action Ballot.
The union spokesperson added: “An overwhelming show of membership solidarity will provide the union with vital leverage in talks with the company.
“The prospect of the first national strike in BT Group in this millennium is very real.
“The impact that would have would be felt in every part of the economy. The UK government are investing billions of tax payers’ money into BT to subsidise a high speed broadband roll out which would be immensely impacted in any industrial dispute.”
CWU urges all member to return their ballot papers before the deadline of Thursday, December 10.