Virgin Media Restructure Threatens 900 UK Jobs
Virgin Media confirms a consultation on proposed job cuts is taking place, but says reorganisation will allow it to focus on expansion
Around 900 UK-based jobs at Virgin Media are at risk as the company considers an organisational restructure.
The proposed job cuts would take place over a two year period, but it is unclear which divisions would be affected until a consultation with potentially affected employees is completed.
Virgin Media says the reorganisation will strengthen its network expansion plans, most notably the £3 billion Project Lightning initiative, which it says will create 6,000 jobs directly and through construction partners alone.
Virgin Media jobs
Additionally, it says the number of people it employs directly and through outsourcing partners in the UK and abroad will rise from 23,000 to 26,000 by 2017.
“Over the last three years Virgin Media has been transformed. We’re expanding, investing and growing our business,” said CEO Tom Mockridge. “The proposed reorganisation will give us an even sharper focus on the customer, network expansion and business growth.”
Project Lightning will connect another four million homes and businesses to Virgin Media’s cable network, taking its total footprint to 17 million properties. The expansion will target areas close to existing network and places where there is interest.
Many of these locations are already served by BT, but Virgin says its network can provide a genuine alternative to providers using Openreach infrastructure.