Call centre issues get serious for BT

Staff at 37 BT call centres, complaining of excessive pressure and stress, have voted to strike on November 22nd.

Over 80% of members of the Communication Workers Union supported the concept of a series of one-day walk-outs after failing to influence what the union describes as a management style 'borrowed from the previous century'.

The call centres, which handle queries about bills, repairs and services, are under-staffed, says the union. Customer servicing targets are said to be unrealistic, as a result of inadequate training and insufficient time allocations for each call.

BT says it is disappointed and will continue to try to resolve the problems before the strike deadline. If it goes ahead, this will be the first national action BT has suffered in more than ten years.

On another front, BT's proposals to cut internet telephone costs have come under fire. Internet service providers say the proposals only apply to larger operators and only cover eight hours of each day. The result is likely to a modest reduction in cost, at best.

Elliott Chase