Workers at BT have voted in favour of strikes in a dispute over pay. Members of the Communication Workers Union at the firm and Openreach - which maintains the UK's phone and broadband network - backed industrial action by an overwhelming majority.
The union's general secretary Dave Ward said BT was facing the first national strike since the company was privatised in the 1980s. The union said it wanted a “substantial” pay rise, especially with the spiralling rate of inflation, arguing that BT could afford it.
Mr Ward said he expected BT to offer a “significantly improved” pay rise by next week or strike dates will be set. “Our membership faced the challenges of home working, high staff turnover, and a real culture of fear created by senior management to deliver an overwhelming show of support for strike action,” he said.
