By Matthew Leslie
BT customers in Fermanagh could see their services affected after engineers and call centre staff voted to go on strike.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) balloted its members who voted to take industrial action for the first time in 35 years.
No date has been set but it is understood that action could begin as early as Thursday, July 14 if talks to resolve the dispute over pay and conditions break down.
That means that those in Fermanagh waiting on repairs to BT’s broadband service or even having it installed could be left waiting for work to be carried out.
With call centre workers set to walk out as well, BT customers in the county will not have access to support staff to report faults or make general enquiries over the phone.
Dave Ward, the General Secretary of the CWU, said: “This is an incredible result that has been achieved despite a real culture of fear imposed by senior BT management.
“This proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that no worker in the UK is unreachable, that all workers are ready to stand up and fight for higher pay and, in some cases, better conditions.”
Those in Fermanagh who use BT’s mobile phone operator, EE, will not be affected as the 50 per cent ballot turnout figure to validate any strike action voted on was not reached.
In response, BT stated that it was disappointed at the proposed industrial action saying that they had recently awarded its highest payrise to workers in 20 years.
A spokesman said: “BT Group awarded its highest pay rise for frontline colleagues in more than 20 years – an average five per cent increase and up to eight per cent for those on the lowest salaries.
“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.
“These investments are vital for the benefit of our millions of customers and for the UK economy. Above all, they are central to the success of this business – and its colleagues – now and in the future.
“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.”
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