News

Today (July 16) UNI's British affiliate CWU is demonstrating outside BT’s annual general meeting to highlight the company’s role in constraining the pay of agency workers.

 

Andy Kerr, deputy general secretary, said: “BT relies on around 8,000 agency workers to deliver key aspects of its business. These workers are expected to provide the same commitment and level of customer service as permanent BT employees but they are not rewarded in an equal way.

 

“There is no meaningful mechanism in place for implementing pay increases for agency staff. Even where pay increases have happened, they have only been a matter of few pence per hour which goes nowhere near to addressing current cost of living issues.

 

“BT is deliberately constraining the pay of agency workers. We are aware that pay claims are made every month, but we’re also aware that they are rejected every month. Some agency staff haven’t had a pay rise for over four years.

 

“This is completely unacceptable in a cutting-edge modern blue chip company. We want to see annual pay increases for agency staff and for BT to recognise and reward agency workers who form an essential part of their workforce.”

 

BT’s AGM takes place at the Barbican, London, on Wednesday 16th July. CWU has shareholder attendees going to the meeting and they will be asking questions specifically challenging BT on their shocking lack of responsibility to these agency workers.

 

CWU demonstrators will be outside the meeting with agency workers from across the country to highlight problems faced by the two-tier workforce.