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BT Global: Project Stockholm Update

5 February 2007

At the meeting of Branches with Clerical Members in BT Global on 23 January 2007, Glynis Winestein, National Assistant Secretary (Clerical), gave an update on Project Stockholm, a trial of BT Global undertaking work for BT Business Mobile.

Glynis confirmed that feedback she had received was positive and that there had been indications that the trial would be confirmed and maybe extended. Examples were given where work that had been sent to Pune was being done incorrectly and causing extra work for people in the UK as a result. Glynis has asked for any further examples to be sent to her and she would take the issue up directly with BT.

Members in Gloucester were worried that their work for Stockholm would be sent to Pune. Glynis said the Company has made it clear that all customer contact will remain in the UK and as such Stockholm Single Point of Contact work will be done in the UK. BT has also confirmed that they have provisional commitment to grow by about 50 in the next financial year on BT Business work.

Concern was expressed that work was currently being remote sourced without an agreement. It was noted that this part of BT was a Global Company and had always outsourced work. It was accepted that in the absence of an agreement there is no formal means for consultation or governance of work being remote sourced.

Graham Colk (Chair of Clerical Global Team) outlined the current position within Global Services and remote sourcing in the context of discussions with the T&FSE. The key elements being sought by the negotiating team centred on, Employment Security, Criteria for work being outsourced, Governance, Consultation and Corporate Social Responsibility. Graham gave an assurance that the policy of the T&FSE was to protect existing NewGRID Terms and Conditions and that the Union had sought guarantees on grading. Written confirmation had been received that the grade mix in Global would remain the same.