Union rejects pay rise of £1,500 for BT staff and plans strike ballot

CWU bosses say increase is relative cut in salary but BT says it is its biggest award in two decades

BT has given 58,000 workers a 1,500 pay rise that it says is its biggest award in two decades, despite its largest union rejecting the deal and saying it intends to ballot members over strike action.

Last week BT had a 1,200 pay rise offer rejected by the Communication Workers Union (CWU), which represents about 40,000 of the company's 100,000 employees, with union bosses describing it as insulting" and a relative pay cut" as soaring inflation fuels a cost of living crisis.