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Newry and Armagh MLA Justin McNulty has expressed his support and solidarity with BT and Openreach staff on strike on Friday and yesterday, 8 August.
Mr McNulty visited the Communication Workers Union (CWU) picket line in Newry to meet with the workers and discuss their concerns.
He encouraged the company to meet with union leaders and reach an agreement with staff.
Mr McNulty said “I visited with striking BT and Openreach workers at the CWU picket line in Newry to listen to their concerns and show my solidarity as they campaign for fair pay. Following a derisory pay offer by the company, staff have been left feeling like they had no other option and it’s extremely disappointing that the company have allowed things to escalate to this point.
“These staff perform a vital frontline role in our society and deserve to be compensated fairly for it. We rely on the essential work of BT and Openreach staff to keep our broadband and phone services running. They are also depended on by the likes of the NHS and worked tirelessly to keep people connected during the coronavirus pandemic.
“This strike comes as BT announces sales growth and profits and after a huge sum was awarded to shareholders. Staff aren’t asking for the earth, they are dealing with the worst costs crisis in living memory that has left many people struggling to make ends meet and they deserve to be paid a fair wage. I’ve written to the BT Group CEO urging BT to get back around the table with the unions and negotiate a pay rise that reflects the important work these staff do, no worker wants to go on strike and I will continue to support BT and Openreach staff until their contribution is properly recognised.”
Letter to the BT Group CEO
Mr McNulty said "The real-term pay cuts that have left some BT / Openreach workers reliant on food banks in an ever- deepening cost of living crisis is causing huge distress within the ranks of many who have given their life blood to your company. They feel agrieved and undervalued - this hits hard especially in the context of these same workers having gone the extra mile throughout the pandemic playing a crucial role in keeping these islands “connected” when communication was so vitally important and in- person meetings were curtailed.
"With over 2,200 BT / Openreach workers accross the North of Ireland I feel it is encumbent upon me to make represenations to you on their behalf. You will know that with the release of your company’s latest quarterly results, the argument that “BT cannot afford to pay frontline workers a rise that even comes close to inflation” will hold little water with workers.
"The claim that the proposed unilateral imposition of a flat-rate £1,500 pay increase is generous and the maximum affordable, despite it not coming close to maintaining the living standards of even the BT Group’s lowest paid workers when set against the current RPI inflation level of 11.8% is proposterous especially in the context of your own recent 32% pay hike.
"BT Group workers feel very aggrieved not alone by an unwillingness to renumerate them fairly, but also because even with the £400 million first quarter profit on top of the recently announced £1.3 billion, that management are again going to put prices up for customers which will amount to a 23% price increase in 12 months.
"Everyone involved is happy to see your company doing well. It must be remembered that the financial success is down to the workers and also loyal customers. I hope this reality will be recognized by you and your board and that a fair pay offer will be made promptly to your workers who have given their all for your company. I hope the cost of living challenges being faced by both your workers and customers is appropriately recognized."
