Up to 390 TalkTalk jobs face axe as Northampton site shuttered
Workers hit by office reshuffle
Posted in Management, 24th April 2012 12:07 GMT
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ISP TalkTalk is shuttering its Northampton office, "simplifying" its UK operations and "creating jobs nationally" while threatening to axe others.
It said in a statement that "collective consultations" would take place with 390 staff across its sites at Northampton, Preston and Warrington.
TalkTalk added:
There will be significant new opportunities for existing employees at Preston, Stornoway and Warrington, and TalkTalk will be working with affected employees to maximise opportunities to transfer to new roles and thereby minimise job losses in a year that, ultimately, will see more UK roles created than lost.
The company said it was separately looking to build its investment in the YouView TV launch later this year by employing around 250 people with "engineering skill sets".
It confirmed that with the shift away from Northampton, where 168 employees are based, talks on job losses would begin. The ISP said that following the closure of that office it expected to effectively outsource "200 new roles at Preston through the appointment of a new strategic partner to manage the existing site and some of its operations".
It said formal consultation for those whose jobs were at risk would run for a period of between 30 and 90 days. The first such meeting with staff will start tomorrow, TalkTalk said.
The company added: "These will be followed by individual consultation meetings over the next week at which those affected will be given a clear picture of their options including opportunities for transfer. TalkTalk will also be providing a wide range of support services to employees throughout this period." ®
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COMMENTS
Junkmail
If these jokers stopped junk mailing me, they might have a few more quid to spend on staff.
They pay the same in Preston....
Indeed, having worked for them at one point the pay rate was the same up in Preston as elsewhere.
I've worked for worse companies, and better, but none that was quite so amusing.
Same old, same old
"The ISP said that following the closure of that office it expected to effectively outsource "200 new roles at Preston through the appointment of a new strategic partner to manage the existing site and some of its operations". "
'expected' is a variable and usually leans towards 'not a hope, sunshine'.
Doncha just love how 'outsourcing' is now 'stragegic partner' -- no, it's shifting the dirty stuff elsewhere. 'Effectively' just means 'getting rid of'.
There used to be 'Boardoom bingo', is there a 'Restructuring bingo' sheet out there?
About 62 retentions staff are transferring or being 'TUPE'd' over to a company called Careline who will sub-let the site/floor from TalkTalk.
Careline are looking to swell this number up to 250 staff, hiring some of the existing BB2, Homemovers, Mobile, Bereavement staff as retention staff (those that can do/have the skills to do retentions). The rest hired from the local area.
BB2 staff have the option to relocate. However I don't envisage (m)any going to India.
Homemovers, Mobile and Bereavement are going to Stornoway, again relocation to the arse end of nowhere is also an option. Warrington CEO (complaints) jobs are also going to Stornoway.
Other parts of the business in Preston are relocating to an existing Warrington office (some relocated from Warrington to Preston previously.)
250 Jobs are required for installing YouView nationally, this would be with an existing partner/outsourcer called Qube - many BB2 staff are expected to take this option.
The office was sombre today, many people just getting on with the good work they do, whilst knowing the future is uncertain.
They have staff in the UK...!? I'm guessing these people aren't on the call centres as all you ever get with them is India, who have obviously never been told how the UK phone system works including the little white box etc.
As for moving to Preston - yeah so if you get another job it'll pay £5K less a year, have worse conditions and it's in Preston. My advice to all those in Northampton is take the money and run, and then claim you were working in Outer Mongolia rather than for TalkTalk.
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