BT workers in Waterlooville and Cosham strike for ‘fair pay rise’ as union members join picket line

Staff members of the Communication Workers Union - which represents BT workers - held flags and hung banners saying ‘Enough is Enough’ at sites in Waterlooville and Cosham this morning.

They are joining hundreds of fellow union members at picket lines across the rest of the country.

Ed Goodenough is CWU chairman for Portsmouth, West Sussex, and the Isle of Wight.

Joining the Waterlooville picket line, Ed said that today’s strike has been ‘quite well attended’.

Ed explained: ‘Like a lot of unions we are striking for a fair pay rise.

‘It’s very much a case of we are working people and enough is enough.

‘The profits for BT Group are £1.6 billion after tax, and the CEO has had a pay rise of £3.5 million.

‘For workers, it’s around 3.5 per cent rise across the board.’

As well as picket lines in Waterlooville and Cosham, workers formed strike posts in Titchfield, Bognor Regis, and Ryde on the Isle of Wight.

Strikes will continue today and on October 10, 20, and 24.

Ed added: ‘Our message is we want BT to come back to the table and talk to us.

‘To the wider public, we are fighting for all working people - people shouldn’t have to be using food banks, choosing whether to heat or eat.’

A BT Group spokesperson said: ‘We made the best pay award we could in April and we have held discussions with the CWU to find a way forward from here.’