News
U.K. cable operator to increase overall staffing levels, but outsourcing will play a part.
Virgin Media this week revealed it plans to make as many as 900 of its U.K. staff redundant over the next two years as part of a plan to restructure its operations.
The TV and broadband operator said it is entering a consultation period with employees about the proposed cuts.
"Over the last three years Virgin Media has been transformed. We’re expanding, investing and growing our business," said the company’s CEO Tom Mockridge, in a statement.
"The proposed reorganisation will give us an even sharper focus on the customer, network expansion and business growth," he said.
Virgin Media was acquired by cable group Liberty Global in 2013. Since then it has embarked upon a £3 billion network infill plan in the U.K., Project Lightning, that will extend its network coverage to an additional 4 million premises by 2020.
This growth drive and the reorganisation will see Virgin Media recruit more staff – it has pledged to increase its overall staff to 26,000 in 2017 from 23,000 this year – but an unspecified number of these employees will be through outsourcing arrangements.
Doubtless those figures will provide little comfort to those whose jobs are at risk as a result of Thursday’s announcement.
