In a major announcement made on Wednesday 10th March on YouTube and Facebook, details below, the CWU has called an Industrial Action ballot across all CWU members in BT, Openreach and EE.
Tens of thousands of BT staff are set to vote on strike action in a fresh blow to beleaguered chief executive Philip Jansen.
The Mail on Sunday
The Mail on Sunday can reveal that the Communication Workers Union – representing 45,000 BT staff – will tomorrow kick off the formal legal process to ballot members for the telecom giant’s first national strike since 1987.
The union is furious at Jansen’s attempts to rapidly modernise the former state monopoly, with plans including the closure of about 270 offices and compulsory redundancies that could run into thousands.
The Mail on Sunday understands the CWU expects a large majority of workers at BT, EE and infrastructure division Openreach to vote in favour of industrial action with walkouts likely from May. Read more »
Philip Jansen, the chief executive of BT, is under more pressure as a union threatens to hit the company with its first strike in more than three decades.
The Telegraph
The Communication Workers Union will ballot its 45,000 members in the coming weeks about industrial action following a protracted dispute with management over layoffs and site closures.
Andy Kerr, the union’s deputy general secretary, said members did not want disruption to services. “This action is about protecting our members, but also it is about protecting the service they provide to homes and businesses,” he said.
The CWU fears that Mr Jansen’s modernisation plans for BT could close up to 270 BT offices, leading to thousands of redundancies.
The strike threat comes as the BT boss awaits a crucial decision from telecoms regulator Ofcom this week that will determine the profitability of its plans to pump £12bn into its fibre broadband network. BT’s shares have sunk under Mr Jansen. Read more »
See more Press reaction below –
Evening Standard – https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/dave-ward-openreach-b923995.html
Wales Online – https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/bt-workers-could-strike-nationally-20144241
Express and Star – https://www.expressandstar.com/news/uk-news/2021/03/14/bt-workers-could-strike-nationally-for-first-time-in-more-than-30-years/
The i – https://inews.co.uk/news/business/bt-first-strike-30-years-anger-erupts-redundancies-closures-912975
The Argus – https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/national/19159327.bt-workers-strike-nationally-first-time-30-years/
Timetable leading up to the ballot will be released shortly.
Tonight at 6:30pm, Wednesday 10th March, a major announcement was made to members on the CWU national Facebook, YouTube and Twitter channels, watched by nearly 8,000 members.
The session can be viewed by visiting any of our channels at 6:30pm or via the direct links below;
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/981299138616232/posts/3822312827848168/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGjWR9XI9gA
Why You Should Vote YES in the recently announced Industrial Action Ballot.
“IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT COMPULSORY REDUNDANCIES.
BT are attacking our agreements, which have been fought for over the years and are now at risk of being torn up, if we, me and you, do not show support for our Union and solidarity for our fellow members, some of who are presently on industrial action over unagreed changes to their terms and conditions.
BT will be watching us closely over the next few weeks and months, looking for weakness and seeing what they can get away with next.
Changes to Compulsory and Voluntary redundancy terms. No consolidated pay rise this year. Un-agreed enforced COT (Compulsory Overtime). Personal Travel Time and Pay and Protection agreements ignored. Staff being made redundant and their jobs being off-shored. Closure of offices, soon there will be none in our branch area.
More contractors installing our Fibre Network. New staff being employed on unagreed pay rates. Threats to terms and conditions.
The list of attacks growing day by day.”