More placed ‘at risk’ in new phase of BT Supply Chain ‘transformation’
Telecoms & Financial Services May 17 2023
Close tabs are being kept on the latest changes that have been unveiled by Supply Chain bosses, with the CWU intent on ensuring that every effort will be made to mitigate against potential redundancies.
Under proposals initially announced by management last month, 12 more individuals have been placed ‘at risk’ as a result of 11 proposed job losses within five teams – in part predicated by the planned rationalisation of the retained organisation’s existing footprint of 24 sites where desk-based roles are performed down to four ‘Strategic Hubs’.
The company claims that the changes are necessary on account of Supply Chain’s “declining operational footprint” following the outsourcing of the formerly in-house warehouse and transport operations to GXO last year and the looming intra-BT Group transfer involving ‘Staging & Configuration’ work that was announced in February.
The new upheavals come in the wake of four proposed job losses that were announced at the end of March, placing ten individuals in scope of possible redundancy.
The latest announcement once again impacts the Management Information Systems team, with proposals to cease non-value add, legacy transactional activity by March 2024.
Further changes include:
- The closure of the Network Optimisation Programme, resulting in the cessation of one role within the Transformation team.
- A reduction in the number of roles required to support the ‘Warehouse Management’ stock management system, and the ESI Test Schedulers, following various system changes.
- And a reduction of roles in the core Service Desk. No direct labour job losses are envisaged in this instance as some roles will be retained, and agency displacement will protect employment.
One-to-ones have been taking place with all those who are potentially ‘at risk’ and the CWU is awaiting the outcome of an ‘Expression of Interest’ (EOI) window for Enhanced Voluntary Severance that closed on Monday (May 15).
CWU national officer Tracey Fussey told CWU News: “This is an incredibly challenging time for all those who’ve been placed in scope, and I’d urge all those impacted to make immediate contact with their local CWU reps if they have not already done so.
“The union’s primary focus is on seeking to ensure that the company does everything it can to mitigate against the need for any compulsory redundancies.”
Any team member employees in Supply Chain who are not currently members of the union can easily and quickly join the CWU by clicking here.