BT has announced that a significant number of Plusnet employees will be transferring into the BT business.
Although Plusnet is owned by BT, it operates as a separate business, under what the parent company dubs ‘the three brands strategy’.
Therefore, because Plusnet operates in this way it will be necessary to TUPE transfer staff coming into BT.
Prospect has been informed that the roles transferring are corporate and Head Office with the front-facing roles, such as those in the contact centres remaining as part of Plusnet. This is a similar approach to that previously taken with EE, following its acquisition by BT.
BT has now begun the process of formal TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings) consultation with affected employees in Plusnet. This will be undertaken with employee representatives, rather than Prospect representatives, as the union is not currently recognised within Plusnet.
However, Prospect has insisted that parallel consultations are held with the union, given the potential impacts on existing members when Plusnet employees are transferred into BT.
Prospect has been informed that 431 Plusnet employees will be transferring into BT and that they are all covered by the People Framework. This means that they will be covered by the collective bargaining agreement with Prospect.
Therefore, the union will be seeking to recruit these employees in order to ensure we remain strong in the areas where Plusnet employees will be working. The majority of those transferring will be moving to the Technology and Consumer areas. There will also be a smaller number of staff moving to corporate functions.
Finally, the union has stressed during initial consultations that Prospect representatives must be engaged before 1 February, the proposed date on which staff will transfer.
There are proposals for a new operating model and this will inevitably have some impact on existing Prospect members within BT.
The company recognises this and has promised to share information with us during the TUPE process and to allow us to scrutinise the new operating model as it emerges. We will of course keep members informed of any proposed organisation changes as they take shape.
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