NTL announces 6,000 UK jobs to go

Telecoms giant NTL announced plans today to cut its workforce by 6,000 following its recent merger with rival Telewest.

The company said more than a third of its 17,000 staff will be affected by the upheaval, which is likely to involve up to 1,000 compulsory redundancies.

NTL said a number of jobs will be transferred under outsourcing agreements, including 1,500 to IBM.

Amicus national officer Peter Skyte said: “This is a devastating blow for thousands of employees across the whole country. There is no corporate social responsibility in this announcement and it is difficult to fathom how cutting so many UK jobs will be good for NTL’s customers.”

Gerry Morrissey, assistant general secretary of Bectu, said his union will now press for a campaign to highlight the number of jobs being outsourced to India.

“Firms which are doing this don’t deserve the support of the British public,” he said.