MILLIONS of households could be hit by broadband disruption this summer as almost 40,000 BT staff voted to strike last night.
Over 30,000 Openreach engineers and 9,000 BT call centre workers will vote as early as next week over whether they should strike this summer. It would be the first national strike in 35 years.
Employees who have stayed working at home face the biggest disruption. It comes amid fears of a summer of discontent.
Train strikes crippled the UK earlier this month and union leaders have warned industrial action will spread across the public sector.
The CWU is also balloting 115,000 postal workers at Royal Mail about strike action.
The telecoms giant has been in a three-month dispute with the CWU over pay, as it accuses BT of introducing a low flat-rate pay rise despite soaring inflation.
BT offered 58,000 frontline workers a £1,500 pay rise in April.
The hike is equal to a 5% on average and 8% rise for the lowest paid.
A BT spokesperson said: "BT Group awarded its highest pay rise for frontline colleagues in more than 20 years – an average 5% increase and up to 8% for those on the lowest salaries.
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"At the same time, we’re in the middle of a once-in-a-generation investment programme to upgrade the country’s broadband and mobile networks.”
The spokesperson added: "Our job is to balance the competing demands of BT Group’s stakeholders and that requires careful management, especially in a challenging economic environment.
"The result of the CWU’s ballot is a disappointment but we will work to keep our customers and the country connected."
Mr Ward said the vote to strike action was the first time a group of call centre workers had voted for industrial action.
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A vote by CWU members at EE failed to meet the legal threshold by just a few votes.
The BT workers' vote is one of a number of others that have already taken place across England.
Train strikes crippled the UK earlier this month and union leaders have warned industrial action will spread across the public sector.
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The CWU is also balloting 115,000 postal workers at Royal Mail about strike action.
The UK’s inflation rate high a 40-year-high in May, reaching 9.1 per cent.
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