BT and Openreach workers take to the streets in Preston to fight for a better day's pay

The Communications Workers' Union (CWU) who help maintain the nation’s broadband took to the streets this week with their pickets to voice their distain at the lack of pay rise, claiming some of them are now having to resort to using food banks.

Armed with their pickets some of which read "CEOs using Swiss banks, workers using food banks", employees were out in force at British Telecommunications site at Moor Lane campaigning for a better pay deal.

Chair of the CWU BT and Openreach Lancashire and Cumbria branch Pete O'Hanlon told the Post they had been striking for the past six days in a dispute over a lack of pay to correlate with the cost of living inflation, claiming their CEO earned in access of £3.2m last year and was rewarded further with a 32 per cent pay rise.

He said: "The union are failing to sit back round the table and negotiate a proper pay rise for our members.

"We are only getting a pay rise of 15 hundred across the board, flat rate pay rise - it's just not enough.

"We have got members who are having to use food banks to feed their families and it's an absolute disgrace in this day and age.

"We have actually set up a food bank in one of our BT call centres so they are actually aware.

"Our members deserve a better pay rise.”

He added that with inflation at 11 per cent members were struggling to secure a deal of four/five per cent pay rise and it was not enough to combat the rising cost of living.

He said: "These are the people that have kept the country connected throughout the pandemic. These are key workers."

The CWU is the main trade union in the UK for people working for telephone, cable, digital subscriber line and postal delivery companies. It has 110,000 members in Royal Mail as well as more in many other communication companies.

A further strike is earmarked for Thursday if no resolution has been met between the CWU and Royal Mail.

A BT Group spokesperson said: “We know that our colleagues are dealing with the impacts of high inflation and, whilst we respect the right of colleagues to take industrial action, we are profoundly disappointed that the CWU is prepared to take this reckless course of action by including 999 services in strikes.”

“We will do whatever it takes to protect 999 services – redeploying our people to the most important priority is a normal part of BT Group operations.”

The spokesman added: “We made the best pay award we could in April and we have held discussions with the CWU to find a way forward from here. In the meantime, we will continue to work to minimise any disruption and keep our customers and the country connected”.