NTL Ireland and Chorus confirm job losses
Around 350 jobs are to go at cable operators NTL Ireland and Chorus under restructuring plans, it was confirmed tonight.
UPC Ireland, which owns the recently merged companies, is hoping to shave €40m off operating costs over the next three years.
Union officials said they were shocked at the scale of the job losses particularly in Waterford where the NTL call centre is to close with the loss of 110 jobs.
John Bolger, secretary of the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers Union, said: “I would be wrong to say I am shocked, but I am shocked at the scale of it. Because I wasn’t expecting that the company would announce today so many job losses and with some major consequences for the likes of Waterford, particularly the call centre.
“And I think there was a lot of angst down there today when the company made its announcement.”
The company confirmed 350 jobs will be shed under plans to reorganise from September.
Some of the main areas affected include customer care, finance, networks and Chorus Sports Channel.
It said certain activities currently undertaken by NTL Ireland will be transferred to Chorus and vice versa.
UPC Ireland said its overall objective is to create a strong national operator across television, internet and telephone.
The combined workforce of Chorus and NTL Ireland is understood to be around 950.
The company said it has been involved in a consultation process with employee representatives, and will continue to be until the redundancy process concludes in March 2007.
UPC Ireland said it may be able to create up to 140 jobs in the future.
