BT bosses forced to answer 999 calls as emergency call handlers strike

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BT bosses will be forced to answer emergency calls on Thursday as 999 call handlers join a walk out over pay.

The telecoms giant has trained up managerial staff and call handlers from elsewhere in the business after the Communications Workers Union (CWU) ditched an agreement to exempt emergency call handlers from industrial action.

BT, which has up to 150 workers taking 999 calls at any one time, said it will maintain normal levels of cover. It called the CWU’s action “reckless”.

Around 30,000 Openreach engineers and 10,000 BT call centre workers have already walked out in a long-running dispute over wages. Further strikes are planned for October 10, 20 and 24.

The CWU previously agreed to exempt 999 call workers from the action, which is in protest against a £1,500 flat-rate pay deal offered by BT.

But union leaders said the company’s “intransigence” in negotiations meant critical workers would now join the strikes.

Dave Ward, CWU general secretary, said: “This decision was not taken lightly, but our union’s repeated attempts to initiate discussions was declined by a management who clearly believe they are above negotiating a fair deal for people who make massive profits for them.

"999 operators are using food banks, they’re worried about the cost of living and are being stretched to the limit.

“BT management clearly has no appreciation of its workforce, or their social value, but this union does, and we will keep on fighting this company’s attempt to plunge its workers into even further hardship.”

The inclusion of emergency call handlers in the industrial action has sparked division among rival unions.

Prospect, which represents managerial staff at BT, said that while it supported the right of CWU members to take industrial action, it condemned the withdrawal of labour from the emergency services.

In a note to members last month, it encouraged managers to volunteer to cover 999 call services during the strikes.

A BT spokesman said: “We know that our colleagues are dealing with the impacts of high inflation and, whilst we respect the right of colleagues to take industrial action, we are profoundly disappointed that the CWU is prepared to take this reckless course of action by including 999 services in strikes.

“We will do whatever it takes to protect 999 services – redeploying our people to the most important priority is a normal part of BT Group operations.

“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. In the meantime, we will continue to work to minimise any disruption and keep our customers and the country connected.”