The Communication Workers Union Clerical Branch in Northern Ireland has proposed a motion to the annual conference in May to re-nationalise British Telecom.
The Socialist spoke to David Bell, proposer of the motion and branch secretary of the CWU NI Clerical Branch.
“BT announced last November 10,000 jobs (or 6% of the workforce) were to be lost. The reason for the massive job losses isn’t because these workers are no longer needed it is because BT want to lower costs so they can increase profits. BT share prices rocketed 12% on the day they announced the job losses.”
“Chief executive Ian Livingston has admitted that BT has a deficit in its pension fund of £5billion. In May 2007, BT announced a £1billion surplus in their pension scheme yet in less than 2 years this has plummeted to a £5billion shortfall!”
“Our union needs to fight for the re-nationalisation of BT so jobs can be protected and the profits being made by BT are used to develop the service for the public good, not to enrich shareholders.”
Picket: Confederation of British Industry NI Luncheon
"The system [capitalism] produced an ever-expanding flow of goods and services, which the impoverished proletarianised population could not afford to buy.