BT set to axe thousands of jobs
Thousands of management jobs are set to be axed at telecoms giant BT as new technology and increased competition force firms in the industry to cut costs.
The company is believed to be preparing to announce the job cuts on Thursday with its half-yearly results, which analysts expect will show profits of around £1.3bn (€1.8bn).
BT’s workforce has already shrunk from 250,000 to 107,000 in recent years, although the cuts have been achieved through voluntary redundancies.
The firm is confident it will avoid having to announce compulsory job losses, which would avert the prospect of industrial action.
Connect, which represents BT managers, said it is aware there are job losses on the horizon, but a spokesman said: “As long as they are voluntary and staff who remain will not have to do the work of those who leave, that is OK.”
The union warned that any compulsory job losses could spark industrial action.
