AN East Lancashire MP has urged bosses to restart talks with its workers after a two-day strike.

BT and Openreach workers in Blackburn and Accrington are staged two 24-hour walk-outs on July 29 and August 1 in a dispute over pay.

Hyndburn Conservative backbencher Sara Britcliffe met with BT bosses on Friday,

She requested the meeting in July after disappointed employees contacted her regarding their pay offer and lack of communication with BT.

Miss Britcliffe MP said: “The employees at the BT contact centre in Accrington and Openreach engineers in my constituency worked tremendously hard throughout the pandemic to ensure we were all kept connected.

“Therefore, I understand my constituent’s concerns, they just want fairness.

“I pushed BT on their pay offer, and I also sought further direct meetings between BT and Accrington employees, which BT are going to consider and get back to me.

“I want to thank BT for the meeting, which as a private business, they did not have to agree to.

"I also look forward to building a working relationship that benefits employees in my constituency.

I will always stand up for the hard-working people of Hyndburn and Haslingden.”

The Communication Workers Union is calling for a 'substantial' pay rise, especially with the spiralling rate of inflation – arguing that BT could afford it.

Those involved in the row look after the majority of Britain’s telecoms infrastructure, from mobile phone connection, broadband internet and back-up generators to national health systems, cyber security and data centres.