“People feel shut out”: BT Liverpool workers protest against job losses
August 19 2026
Protesting workers, supporters and politicians have told BT to shelve “atrocious” proposals to relocate hundreds of jobs out of Liverpool, urging bosses to “have a rethink”.
Employees, concerned family members and members of the community protested at lunchtime last Thursday at The Plaza, BT’s central Liverpool site, against the company’s proposals to move over 600 jobs out of the area.
This has been the second protest of the summer, with the new protest attracting only more members, local and regional politicians, MPs and national union leaders.
The company claims that due to rising costs in renewing the lease on The Plaza, continuing operations there is no longer feasible.
As such, over 600 employees will be forced to commute to Manchester or Leeds, and some – such as in the relay services, which aim to assist customers with hearing issues – may lose their jobs entirely.
“I went into shock for two or three days over the news”
Heather Taylor has been with BT for seven years and works in the Cloud Voice and Digital Voice team, which manages projects, takes inbound calls and keeps the overall service going.
When she heard of the proposed closure, she was “a little bit shocked, to be honest – we’d been hearing many sites were closing down, but we thought we were secure.”
Similarly, Lesley Wood – who works in data and coding – was “mortified and gobsmacked” by the news, and “went into shock for two or three days” over the news.
“I’ve already gone through this sort of scenario in 2017, when the company closed BT Mobile in Warrington.
“It’s so demoralising, we are just in total shock, it’s horrible to see.”
“It’s just a step too far”
Julie Andrews, who processes broadband orders and has been with BT for 42 years, recalls that workers “were told this was a permanent site, so we had no reason to think it wasn’t going to be permanent.”
On the possibilities of her commuting to Manchester every day, she said that “I just can’t go there – it’s just a step too far, but I also can’t retire because it’s six years until I get to the state pension age.”
All of them urged BT to find a place in Liverpool, which has always had a significant BT presence in the area, and urged the company to rethink the situation.
“Please keep us in Liverpool”, Heather said. “These choices are going to affect so many people.
“We have built such a good community and team here, and we have worked really well together.
“I don’t think it’s fair how it’s all happened, how sudden it’s been, and it just feels like people are being shut out.”
Julie agreed. “The work should stay in this city. It doesn’t have to be in this office, but BT have always had a presence in Liverpool – that should stay the same, and BT should have a rethink.”
“No sugarcoating these atrocious proposals”
Their comments were echoed by protesting Labour MP Kim Johnson, whose Liverpool Riverside constituency includes the site.
Speaking in support of the workers, Johnson said that “there is no sugar coating how atrocious these proposals are.
“In suggesting this move, BT are signalling that loyal employees are completely expendable.
“This move can’t be right, and BT must think clearly about the damage it will do a workforce, a community and a region.”
Current future plans include a further demonstration in September.