EMPLOYEE RELATIONS: BT’s call centre deal will end strike

BT and the Communication Workers Union have reached an agreement over
working practices in call centres, which the two hope will set a benchmark for
the rest of the industry.

The telecoms giant suffered a national strike of billing and fault repair
call centre staff on November 22, over the use of agency staff and what the
union called "heavy-handed management".

Many experts have predicted more strikes in call centres as they become more
unionised.

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BT has committed to reduce the proportion of agency staff in billing centres
from 30 per cent to 13 per cent by April 2000.

It has promised a more relaxed attitude on call-handling times, a review of
the criteria for hiring agency staff and greater flexibility with annual leave.