More jobs set to go as Virgin Media phases out Swansea site

MORE jobs will go in two phases at Virgin Media’s flagship site before it shuts for good this autumn.

A series of jobs fairs are planned in a drive to help people back to work who are currently based at the Swansea Enterprise Zone site.

It was home to 552 Virgin Media workers and 220 workers with sub-contractor Sitel. But the first jobs started to disappear in November of last year.

The Welsh Government has vowed to do what it can to offer employment elsewhere to employees at risk. Mike Hedges, AM for Swansea East, has kept the pressure on at the Senedd in a bid to ensure there is hope for the workforce in the future.

He highlighted how The Welsh Contact Centre Forum has helped a taskforce arrange a jobs fair to help those at the Virgin site.

He then asked Rebecca Evans, Minister for Finance for an update on what has happened about getting into staff employment, and what further action will be taking place.

The telecommunications company is forging ahead with a £40 million plan to base its operations on four instead of eight sites over the next three years. The firm has said 470 customer operations roles based at the site will transfer to either one of its partners or the soon-tobe revamped Wythenshawe site near Manchester.

And another 100 roles will also be disappearing abroad to its overseas operations, which are believed to be based in Manila in the Philippines and also in India.

Ms Evans said: “The first tranche of those staff did leave in November, and there will be a further two phases planned for this year.

“Virgin Media’s out-placement support team has taken on responsibility for providing staff with on-site access to key partners of our Welsh Government’s taskforce, including Careers Wales, the Department for Work and Pensions, and local employers. The jobs fair in October took place on the Virgin Media site, and there are further jobs fairs planned to coincide with the additional tranches of staff who will be leaving.”

Mr Hedges added: “I welcome the work already done by the Welsh Government to support the workers of Virgin Media.

“I have spoken to many employees who are grateful for this support. However, we must ensure that the remaining workers get the support right through to the closure of the site later in the year.”

A spokesman for Virgin Media did not wish to comment on the situation.