LONDON – The British Telecom Company has signed an agreement with trade unions to avoid further strikes by paying the wage increase requested in various sectors including nursing, post and rail. Workers on an annual income of £50,000 or less will get a £1,500 pay rise next year, according to a pay deal signed with union bosses by telecoms company BT.
BT said 85% of UK staff would benefit from the pay rise. Combined with the April pay rise, the overall increase for BT staff on the lowest wages will be more than 15% compared to this time last year. The agreement includes salary increases ranging from 6% to 16% for employees at different grades. Dave Ward, the union’s general secretary, said the pay rise deal would not have happened if thousands of BT Group workers had not gone on strike led by the Communications Workers Union.
Nurses will strike on December 15 and 20. The strike will affect hospitals in most trusts across Wales, England and Northern Ireland. The strike is being led by the nurses’ union, the Royal College of Nursing. Already, a section of teachers, postal workers and railway workers in the country are on strike demanding a pay rise.
English Summary: A British telecoms company has called off a strike after granting a pay rise
