Exclusive Over 200 staff at Capgemini were told yesterday that their jobs are moving to BT.

BT has signed a "memorandum of understanding" with Capgemini to take over the services giant's network infrastructure solutions (NIS) department in Europe.

Sources told The Register that staff at Capgemini were informed yesterday "with no warning" of the decision to outsource their jobs from October. They were not given detailed information as to how the arrangement would affect them.

A spokesman for BT confirmed that a deal for it to act for Capgemini on a subcontractor basis in Europe was on the cards.

It's thought virtually all the 225 UK NIS employees will be affected by a Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulated deal.

TUPE is designed to guarantee continuity of employment, and ensure the union – in this case the Communication Workers Union, is consulted.

Redundancy constitutes unfair dismissal under TUPE if it is in connection with the transfer, though the new employer may cut staff for "economic, technical or organisational" reasons. More details from Directgov here.

Capgemini refused to comment on the news, or provide details of when its employees would learn their fate. ®

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