BT Jobs for Barrow

Welcome to the CWU Campaign Page for BT Jobs for Barrow

In August 2010 the CWU mounted a campaign in support of employees at BT's Directory Enquiries site in Barrow-in-Furness whose jobs were at risk when the company announced that it would close the site within six months.

The news came as a shock to the 52 BT and 5 Manpower employees whose future was suddenly thrown into uncertainty. The local community also reacted to the news with alarm, as without the identification of reasonable alternative work brought to the site, the effect of losing the BT centre would be devastating for the local economy.

The CWU's campaign calling for urgent talks with BT Retail and applying pressure on the company to consider its responsibility towards its employees and the local community, made the company look for alternative solutions.

Months of negotiations and rigorous campaigning by the CWU followed. CWU lobbied local politicians, residents and the business community and held a demonstration outside the centre in December. The local media played a vital role in covering the story and keeping it in the public arena.

BT announced in mid-January that a solution had been found and the Barrow site would remain open. Plans to source alternative work and invest in the site's technology infrastructure mean that employees will be offered long term sustainable employment in Barrow. This is the best possible outcome for our members and the community of Barrow.

Support from the local business community, residents and MP John Woodcock, as well as the determination of staff at the site to fight for their jobs, resulted in this overwhelming victory less than three weeks before the site was set to close.

In these tough economic times, the strength of the CWU and its refusal to give up shows how passionate we are about securing a positive future for our members.

For more information, contact Sally Bridge on 0208 9717 272 or sabridge@cwu.org or Joyce Stevenson at the local CWU branch 0141 220 7640 or at info@cwuscot1.org.

Show your support or share your views and concerns by joining the group - BT Jobs for Barrow on Facebook here: