Prospect has written to BT’s chief executive asking him to urgently review the company’s decision to halt the pay increase for managers in 2020 and open negotiations with Prospect to explore alternative options.
The union also called on Philip Jansen to:
- pause any redundancies for three months and work with the union to try to redeploy those who wish to stay with the business
- provide the union with information on bonus decisions and consult it before it is distributed.
The announcement that managers and professional grades would not get a pay increase in 2020 was delivered by email on 6 April and without any consultation with Prospect.
Prospect negotiator John Ferrett said BT reps and officers shared members’ dismay over the company’s decision and the lack of any consultation.
“The responses we have received from members over the past two days has overwhelmingly been one of anger and frustration and feels like a kick in the teeth to people who are working so hard to keep the UK connected right now,” said Ferrett.
Redundancies
Ferrett said the company should be commended for its commitment not to make any employee redundant as a result of coronavirus, “but Prospect cannot understand why it is not willing to extend this commitment to its employees who are currently at risk” he added.
Bonus
Although BT has been clear that it intends to pay a bonus to all staff this year, there are so many caveats that members cannot feel any confidence about what size of payment they will receive in June.
“This feeling is exacerbated by past experience of inconsistencies in how bonus has been distributed. Therefore, we have requested that this year, BT provides us with information on bonus decisions and consults us before it is distributed,” Ferrett concluded.
Keeping the UK connected campaign
Finally, he urged members to contribute to the union’s ‘Keeping the UK Connected’ campaign which aims to showcase the work our members are doing to help keep the UK’s telecommunication infrastructure up and running in a time of national need.
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