BT has today announced that it will commence formal consultation about the transfer of 31,000 BT staff to the new independent Openreach with its trade unions, including Prospect, the trade union for managers.

The transfer of staff is the largest in UK history and has come about because Ofcom has ordered the separation of Openreach from BT.

It is hoped that the process will be completed by 1 October in time when Openreach will become a separate legal entity, within the BT Group.

Prospect will be integral to the process, ensuring that there is a smooth transition which will allow staff to continue working in a stable environment with consistent pay and terms and conditions.

Prospect national secretary Philippa Childs said: “This is a significant moment for the future of Openreach. Prospect’s experience in dealing with complicated and detailed work place changes means that we are best placed to advise any Openreach managers who will be affected by the process.

“This is at the core of our work as a union and we are proud to be able to use our expertise to ensure that people are clear about what the changes mean to them. By ensuring that the staff feel confident and reassured about the future and the creation of Openreach we know that they will be able to deliver Britain’s next-generation of digital infrastructure.”