Thousands of Virgin Media O2 employees could lose their jobs as the UK telecoms operator seeks to cut costs, according to BBC reporting. The final number of roles to be cut has not yet been decided, and the company declined to comment.
According to the BBC, the business employs around 16,000 people. Most of the roles at risk are understood to be in non-customer-facing roles. The broadcaster also reports that some changes to senior management are already under way.
The reporting does not amount to an official announcement of a redundancy programme by Virgin Media O2. No timetable or detailed breakdown of the proposed cuts by department or location has been given.
Prospect pledges to work to limit redundancies
Prospect, the trade union representing workers, described the reports of cuts as disappointing and deeply concerning. A union representative pledged support for members and said it would work with employers to reduce redundancies, highlighting opportunities to retrain staff and move them into other roles.
The BBC identifies the operator’s debt and intense competition in the telecoms market as the backdrop to its search for savings. However, the scale of any job losses remains undecided: reporting that thousands of roles are at risk does not mean that those employees have already lost their jobs, or that the eventual cuts will reach that number.
