BT and Openreach workers stage second strike over pay

theguardian.com:

Thousands of BT and Openreach workers will go on strike again on Monday in a dispute over pay.

Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU), including call centre workers and engineers, will hold a 24-hour strike, after similar action on Friday.

The union will mount picket lines outside company offices across the UK and is asking people to bring food, which it will deliver to local food banks.

The strike is against a £1,500 pay increase for all employees, which the CWU says means a real-terms wage cut because of the soaring rate of inflation.

The CWU general secretary, Dave Ward, said: “Since BT Group workers have been forced to take historic strike action in defence of their standard of living, just like in the pandemic, working class people will step up to the plate when employers and politicians fail, and are ready to put need before greed.

“We urge all sympathetic members of the public to attend picket lines in their area and chip in to help out others.”

Andy Kerr, a CWU deputy general secretary, said: “On Friday, BT Group workers took strike action and received overwhelming support from the public. They showed their strength but on Monday they will show their generosity.

“When corrupt politicians and overpaid bosses fall way short of the mark, it is working people who look after other working people. I have no doubt the public will show their support to workers and struggling families by turning up to picket lines, dropping off goods and standing side by side with people fighting for dignity.”

A BT Group spokesperson said: “At the start of this year, we were in exhaustive discussions with the CWU that lasted for two months, trying hard to reach an agreement on pay. When it became clear that we were not going to reach an