• Prospect launch their campaign for a pay-rise for all
• Union determined to hold the BT CEO to commitments on pay
• How you can help to make the campaign a success

Prospect members will need no reminders that they have not received an increase in pay for over two years. During this time those working for the company, at all levels, have gone above and beyond to keep the country connected through the worst global pandemic for over 100 years. Your efforts have ensured that the UK economy was able to function during successive lockdowns. You have also made a huge contribution towards BT largely maintaining revenues and remaining profitable.

Your union believes a pay rise as recognition for your efforts is long overdue. Furthermore, the country is now experiencing the highest levels of inflation in over ten years. Literally month by month BT employees are seeing their take-home pay eroded as prices go up. Indeed, this will only be exacerbated in the new year as energy prices are forecast to rise by up by 40%.

The CEO must honour his commitment to BT managers

Prospect welcome the fact that the Chief Executive, Philip Jansen, has committed on numerous occasions to award managers a pay rise in 2022. However, we are concerned when caveats are attached to this commitment, such as making it contingent on certain targets being reached. This approach could mean that despite two years of going above and beyond during a global pandemic, certain financial indicators in 2022 may be used to justify not paying an award. This would be grossly unfair, not least given the company have already chosen to reinstate the dividend to shareholders before implementing a pay-rise for staff. Indeed, our campaign will focus specifically on the promise Philip Jansen made to Prospect in July of this year:

“I am also pleased to confirm that we have committed to Prospect that we will implement a pay increase for managers in the UK in June 2022.”        

How you can be part of the union’s campaign

In concert with starting talks with the company on a pay award in 2022 the union will also be launching a wider campaign on pay. It is vital that we use as many campaigning tools as there are available to us, not least given that many members are still working remotely and the continuing uncertainty around Covid and associated restrictions. In addition to traditional campaigning techniques the union will be using various social media platforms to highlight our campaign. We will also be conducting conversations with members at a local level, holding branch meetings and calls on a regular basis. Furthermore, we will deploy the resources of the national union to make sure the wider public are aware of our campaign for a pay-rise for all in BT.

Finally, our most effective campaigners will be our individual members. You can start the conversation on pay with colleagues in your own workplace. You can also encourage non-members to join the union. Indeed, many new joiners may be unaware that the union is responsible for negotiating their pay. This is an opportunity to share with them all the good work the union does including improving conditions at work, keeping staff safe in the workplace and providing representation to individuals when they need it. Remember, the most effective way to recruit someone to Prospect is for a colleague to engage them in conversation on all of the good work the union is doing to make BT a better place to work.