By a BT worker IN THE HIGHEST ever turnout in a trade union postal ballot - 82 per cent - NCU BT engineers working on the local network have voted to reject a management plan for drastically changed working hours by 19000 votes to 3000, a majority of 85 per cent.
BT engineers currently work a variety of attendance patterns between Monday and Friday, 6am-7.30pm, usually incorporating a weekday off every 2-3 weeks. Evening and weekend overtime Working is voluntary.
BT wants to change these working patterns, so that working until 10pm and Saturday and Sunday working becomes part of normal working hours.
Managers would be able to vary the rostered working time by one hour to take account of the needs of the work.
The last two NCU conferences have clearly rejected attempts to introduce slave labour working systems. The vote to reject the BT proposals was achieved despite the open support for BT by NCU general secretary Tony Young, who refers to the proposals as "the agreement"!
Wavering
A wavering national executive initially made no recommendation on the BT plan, and this was only overturned when BT management personally interviewed every staff member to try to influence the vote. It contributed to the massive "no" vote from the branches.
BT say they will implement the plan in early October and have threatened to suspend anyone who refuses to work the new hours.
With such massive opposition, and given clear leadership, BT's plans can easily be defeated. The stakes are high: the working life of every engineer is at stake.
BT are very vulnerable to industrial action. They are drastically understaffed and unable to cope with the existing work.
Industrial action would be very bad publicity, especially as their market position is under threat from Mercury and the cable companies.
There is a groundswell of support in the NCU branches for industrial action.
A determined campaign can stop BT's plans.
Called by Anti Racist Alliance, supported by Tower Hamlets council BANDS include GALLIANO, General Levy, CHINA BLACK, Danny Red, FUN DA MENTAL, Misty Oldland, DARKMAN
SOCIALIST OUTLOOK No. 68, September 10 1994, Page 14