The first strike action at BT for 35 years will take place on July 29 and August 1. Workers at the group and Openreach who are members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) will walk out on two 24-hour strikes in a dispute over pay.
It will be the first strike action at BT Group since 1987 and the first national call centre workers’ strike, said the union, adding that 40,000 workers were involved in the dispute.
Those involved look after the majority of Britain’s telecoms infrastructure, from mobile phone connection, broadband internet and back-up generators to national health systems, cyber security and data centres. The union said it wanted a “substantial” pay rise, especially with the spiralling rate of inflation, arguing that BT could afford it.
