News
Thousands of BT workers walk out in first strike in 35 years
The union said the industrial action may cause ‘significant issues’ for those working from home
40,000 BT and Openreach workers have walked out in the first of two strikes today in a dispute over pay.
Workers at the telecoms giant voted in favour of industrial action earlier this month after they were offered an ‘inadequate’ £1,500 per year pay rise.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) said the action was the first national telecoms strike since 1987.
It also warned that the strikes, scheduled for today, July 29th, and Monday, August 1st, could affect the rollout of ultra-fast broadband, and could cause connection issues for people working from home.
BT has repeatedly said it made its best pay offer, and would not be re-opening the 2022 pay review.
The CWU has criticised this deal, saying company bosses had ‘stuck two fingers up’ to workers.
CWU general secretary Dave Ward said ahead of the strikes there would be ‘hundreds of picket lines’ arranged across the country today.
Ward said, as per the BBC: “Our members kept the country connected during the pandemic. They deserve a proper pay rise, and that’s what they’re going to get.
“Workers at BT Group will never accept their bosses using Swiss banks while they use food banks.”
Ward has previously pointed out how BT staff had received a real-terms pay cut as a reward for working ‘under great difficulty’ during the pandemic.
He said: “These are the same workers who kept the country connected during the pandemic.
“Without CWU members in BT Group, there would have been no home-working revolution, and vital technical infrastructure may have malfunctioned or been broken when our country most needed it.”
This week, BT revealed its first sales growth for five years, which comes as a result of a price increase for customers earlier this year.
The company said revenues increased by 1% to £5.1bn for the three months to June 30th.
BT said it had engaged in ‘exhaustive discussions’ with the union, before deciding on the £1,500 pay increase, which it claims is its ‘highest pay award in more than twenty years’.
The telecoms giant said in a statement: “We have confirmed to the CWU that we won’t be reopening the 2022 pay review, having already made the best award we could,” a statement said.
“While we respect the choice of our colleagues who are CWU members to strike, we will work to minimise any disruption and keep our customers and the country connected.”
As prices rise at their fastest rates in forty years, a number of workers across various industries have been striking for adequate pay rises, including railway, health care and education workers.
We’re pleased to announce that Proper Manchester is rebranding as Finest City Guides.
As part of this change, the Proper Manchester brand, including its social media channels, will transition to the Finest City Guides name.
This is a rebrand of the existing platform rather than a new or unrelated business. The same team behind Proper Manchester will continue to operate Finest City Guides as we develop the platform under its new identity.
Previous name: Proper Manchester
New name: Finest City Guides
Our social channels and other brand assets will be updated to reflect the Finest City Guides name as part of this transition.
More from Finest City Guides coming soon.
News
Oasis announce huge reunion tour as Liam and Noel Gallagher ‘make peace’
The news we’ve all been waiting for!
After years of will-they-won’t-they speculation, Oasis are officially BACK together for a reunion tour.
The Gallagher brothers have put aside their differences in the name of music, making thousands of fans extremely happy in the process.
The band teased the news on their socials over the weekend, posting a video on Sunday morning with today’s date (Tuesday, August 27th) and the time 8am.
And now shows have been announced for multiple dates in the UK and Ireland, with tickets going live this Saturday, August 31st.
The legendary Mancunian rockers will take to the stage next summer, with gigs in Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Dublin and, of course, Manchester.
15 years after splitting, the band confirmed they would be back for 14 shows, saying: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised”.
The gigs will be Oasis’s ‘only shows in Europe next year’, with tickets on sale this Saturday at 8am in Ireland and 9am in the UK.
The Oasis 2025 tour dates in full:
July
4th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
5th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
11th – Manchester, Heaton Park
12th – Manchester, Heaton Park
19th – Manchester, Heaton Park
20th – Manchester, Heaton Park
25th – London, Wembley Stadium
26th – London, Wembley Stadium
August
2nd – London, Wembley Stadium
3rd – London, Wembley Stadium
8th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
9th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
16th – Dublin, Croke Park
17th – Dublin, Croke Park
You can grab your tickets HERE.
News
Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Fancy a career change?
Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.
You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.
Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 months’ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to £16 per hour, which equates to £31.6K per year, before overtime.
As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a £1,200 joining bonus.
Stagecoach
There’s also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: “Expanding our offering in Oldham means we’ll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.
“Whether you’re looking for a career change or you’re a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, there’s a role for everyone here in Oldham.
“We’re looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.”
Stagecoach
Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’ve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldn’t recommend it more.
“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.”
To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.
Find something to do in Manchester
Powered by 
Proper Manchester is becoming Finest City Guides
Famous faces to come to life in ‘groundbreaking’ new immersive National Portrait Gallery exhibition
Pub dementia group struggling to run free regular afternoon meet ups with rising costs
Ornella’s Kitchen and more coming to Freight Island as part of huge summer programme
Manchester to transform into HUGE interactive playzone for free family festival this February half term
