Capita "Callously" Cuts TV Licensing Jobs

Outsource company Capita is closing its TV Licensing operations in Bristol and cutting hundreds of jobs across the UK in an act which the Communication Workers Union has branded “callous”. Compulsory redundancies are expected to hit Bristol particularly heavily.

Almost 400 staff in Bristol are affected by the plans which will see approximately 200 posts transferred to the company’s site in Darwen, Lancashire, with up to 80 specialist jobs retained at a separate site in Bristol. Five jobs will be lost from the site in Glasgow and over 40 management jobs from field operations will also be lost. Some work will go to Mumbai in India. Compulsory redundancies are expected in Bristol, where the majority of jobs are based, as well as Glasgow.

The decision follows Capita’s successful retention of the BBC TV Licence contract which was won offering reduced costs. Staff are being briefed from 1pm today (Tuesday) by management and jobs are expected to be lost by September 2012.

Andy Furey, CWU national official, said:

“This is devastating news for workers in Bristol, Glasgow and elsewhere and a terrible way to start 2012. It’s a callous act by Capita management who have put commercial interests ahead of jobs and people.

It appears that Capita has sacrificed the livelihoods of people in Bristol, Glasgow and elsewhere as cost savings to win the BBC TV Licence contract, rather than finding legitimate savings elsewhere.

Hot on the heels of the move to Salford, the BBC licence fee freeze agreed by Mark Thompson is now responsible for job losses outside of the Corporation. This is the reality of that decision – unemployment. It’s irresponsible and unfair."

Andy concluded:

“Capita management seem to be punishing staff in Bristol and Glasgow who have fought hard for a decent pay rise in recent months. By cutting these jobs they lose experienced and dedicated staff which can’t be good for business continuity.

We will be working closely with our members over the coming weeks to see how jobs can be protected and what options are open to them. We’re completely shocked by Capita’s callous attitude towards long-standing employees and see this as a direct attack on union rights. We will work hard to ensure union representation is retained in this giant company.”

Source: CWU

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