Issue No: 198 | Monday 28th November

To All: BT and Openreach members (including those recently subject to TUPE to EE)

BT Pay – Final Agreement Reached

As a result of discussions with the company over the last few weeks, we have reached a final agreement to settle our dispute. We are making preparations for a consultative ballot and you will get to vote on the proposed agreement.

The agreement will result in:

A £1500 flat-rate (pro-rata for part-timers) fully consolidated and pensionable pay increase to all CWU represented grades in BT plc, EE Ltd and Openreach Ltd, payable monthly from 1st January 2023.

Pay related allowances that are automatically linked to pay will also increase by the aggregate amount of the award.

The next pay review date for 2023 only, will be 1st September 2023 to allow for a period of negotiations on long-standing discussions to resolve all current unagreed pay and grading issues.

From 2024 onwards, the annual pay review will revert to 1st April.

As part of the conversations with BT we have agreed to renew and strengthen the way we work together. This will be important as the company seeks to deliver its commitment to reduce cost and improve efficiency by the end of FY25 and will give us the opportunity to influence any potential impact on CWU members.

The outcome of this agreement on pay equates to a permanent increase of £3000 (when including the £1500 received from 1st April 2022) with a further review on 1stSeptember 2023. For example in percentage terms per annum, that translates to over 10% for TMNE2-graded Openreach service delivery engineers and just under 10% for B2s. Lower-paid employees e.g: TMSV2s and TMSV1s will have received over 13% and 15% respectively.

The CWU Executive Committee has agreed to recommend the deal with the strong view that it is the maximum that can be achieved by negotiation leveraged by your industrial action. The consultative ballot will be conducted electronically via email and concluded prior to Christmas. The exact timetable will be provided later this week. It is vitally important that you cast your vote as should the proposed agreement be rejected, there will be no other option but to call another statutory ballot in order to take further industrial action in the New Year.

Make no mistake, your significant sacrifice in taking strike action, making a stand against BT and objecting to their original imposed pay rise in April ultimately forced BT back around the negotiating table. Without this, there would be no further pay increase. At best some people on lower pay may have received an imposed one off cost of living payment in December. The case was made, and won, for a consolidated pay rise; consolidation being hugely important as it means it is paid again and again, unlike a one-off payment which does not increase your actual pay.

Finally, you have every reason to be proud of what your perseverance and determination has achieved. Your continued support for campaigns and your solidarity is vitally important. Please make sure you vote in the forthcoming consultative ballot so that you have the final say on the proposed agreement.

Yours sincerely

Andy Kerr

Deputy General Secretary T&FS

Dave Ward

General Secretary