The CWU has demanded that Capita cease pressuring employees to leave through heavy-handed means

Telecoms & Financial Services April 24 2025

The CWU has written to Capita regarding their failure to consult on redundancies whilst they seek to put undue pressure on poor performers to leave. Members with health conditions are reporting they feel threatened and vulnerable. The CWU has grave concerns over the way Capita is behaving and have demanded an urgent meeting with the global outsourcing company.

The union, which represents workers on the VMO2 contract, has urged its members to seek guidance from their union representatives if they are given an offer to leave the company – and particularly if they feel under pressure to do so.

The union is also urging members not to accept the solicitor that Capita offers them, and to contact the local union branch, should they need legal assistance.

Capita has detailed a decline in the demand for VMO2’s Payment Management services, and have predicted that this reduction in demand will not decrease in the long term.

As a result of this, they believe that 127 positions will have to go, claiming that the 127 workers with the lowest performance ratings will be approached about exit settlements.

The union believes Capita’s proposals are flawed, given that they are based on 2023-24 performance ratings, and significant reported systemic issues over that period.

It also believes the approach is unfair with regards to negatively impacting those whose performance might have been damaged by potential health, disability and equality issues.

There is also concern that disproportionate pressure may be put on certain employees, following a concern raised by one member who was told in a conversation that if they did not sign up to leave voluntarily, they were likely to face dismissal.

Other members are advising that managers told them that as they had short service they would be the first to be dismissed.

Furthermore, Capita is not communicating that a redundancy situation exists – something the CWU believes they must legally divulge.

Their approach does not allow for redundancy consultation governed by the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, which the union maintains should be happening.

The union has also submitted a counter proposal for voluntary redundancy to be extended to all 408 employees who would be in scope, moving to redundancy consultation if volunteers are not gained.

CWU National Officer Tracey Fussey said: “We don’t believe that this focus on low-performing members is acceptable at all. This is morally wrong”

“The CWU has written to Capita to seek clarity over their approach and have requested that they refrain from such conversations immediately – as things stand, we consider the situation to be inappropriate and unfair.

“We have asked for those members who agreed to leave under duress that those exits are rescinded when requested, we are currently waiting for a response”

“The CWU also believes that all employees should have been briefed at the same time and alerted to the fact that a redundancy situation exists and that the lack of consistency and disclosure is wrong”.

“Capita cannot dodge redundancy discussions and must start consulting now”.