Virgin Media set to axe 120 jobs
More than 120 jobs face the axe after Virgin Media announced plans to cut a sales department in the Black Country – and send some of the work to the Philippines.
The media giant is planning to close the telesales department at the company's base at The Waterfront, Brierley Hill. A total of 126 telesales jobs are at risk under the plans.
Virgin Media says the department could close by the end of July as part of "restructuring proposals announced last November".
If the closure decision is finalised, calls would be handled by sales teams in the Philippine capital Manilla together with an office in Manchester.
A 90-day consultation period about the closure plan involving all staff affected is now under way and bosses say opportunities for Dudley staff to transfer to other sites will be examined.
Staff have been informed about the job losses.
One worker said: "Grown men were crying with their heads in their hands when they were told. We had no inkling this was going to happen."
Virgin Media CEO Neil Berkett said: "Although this is a difficult message for our staff, we felt it only right to share our plans with them as soon as this proposal had been confirmed.
"The proposal fits in with our strategy and long-term plans to create a better, more customer-focused organisation. Our priority now is to support our staff as best we can during this period."
The firm's West Midlands spokesman Rebecca Burke reckons if the department did close some of the Dudley calls could be handled by staff in Manchester.
But the firm also has an office in Manilla where some of the work could go.
She added: "Hopefully there will be some opportunities for Dudley staff who are willing to relocate."
Virgin Media recently announced a loss of £50m after it slashed the balance sheet value of its home shopping business.
