CWU to support Virgin Media workers despite company’s hostility

Telecoms & Financial Services January 21 2016

Responding to the announcement that Virgin Media plans to cut 900 jobs in the next two years, the CWU said news of yet more job losses is not, unfortunately, surprising. Virgin Media is a company that talks a good talk in terms of investment but in reality has consistently cut direct labour jobs and is a big fan of outsourcing.

CWU assistant secretary John East said: “In the recent past the CWU has had to support the installers forced to accept pay cuts and worse terms as Virgin parcelled up their work to over seven subcontractors.

“We are in the middle of an Employment Tribunal over changes affecting Access Planners, which resulted in redundancies for many and fundamental changes for the remainder,” explained John.

“Every announcement Virgin makes is bad news for their workforce,” he added.

The CWU will be actively supporting members at risk of redundancy, outsourcing or unacceptable changes to their role despite the company’s hostility to trade unions.