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Jersey Telecom is to shed 80 jobs. The lay-offs are part of a plan to make savings of £7m next year.
JT say the redundancies are needed to keep the company competitive.
Talks have been opened with the GMB Union and JT says it has agreed a union request to give staff the option of applying for voluntary redundancy.
Boss Bob Lawrence says the company is facing a challenging future.
A union spokesman told us: "This is a very sad situation with Christmas on the horizon. The situation has come about because of decisions made by politicians to introduce competition - in an Island this small it is madness.
"JT could have been regulated without competition which would have had the same effect on prices. JT is a Jersey States-owned company that is being destroyed by unrealistic targets imposed upon them by the regulator.
"The GMB will work tirelessly with the management to ensure the redundancy process within the JT Employee Agreement is followed".
Showing comments 1 - 17 of 17
Posted By: Matt on 16-Nov-2009
Nobody hates the staff, perhaps some people have had a lousy experience when the monopoly was in full flow and have now turned their back on them, but the key thing is that this is States owned and maybe it shouldn't be.
Posted By: JEAN THE BEAN on 15-Nov-2009
Jersey Telecom and Jersey water staff are paying for bad management of the state inability to freeze spending .Also the greed of some privet share holders at Jersey Water
Posted By: Sean St Helier on 14-Nov-2009
All the negative comments aimed at JT? It is the States that want their money as they own JT. Its the states that kept the prices high. Its the states that still want their money thats why 115 jobs are going. Don't blame ths staff its the politicians that kept prices high now everyone hates the staff why? At the moment a few staff are employed at C&W and Airtel but then most staff are flown in on short term contracts (cheap labour)!! and once JT are gone who will fund the treasury coffers to the tune of the 6 million lost ...you guessed it the taxpayer.No 115 workers no tax from 115 workers who foots the bill....the taxpayer!! Cheaper calls now but you will pay for it one way or the other
Posted By: Nikki on 14-Nov-2009
Umm who is blaming the staff????? No one below is!!!!
Posted By: Sean St Helier on 14-Nov-2009
All the negative comments aimed at JT? It is the States that want their money as they own JT. Its the states that kept the prices high. Its the states that still want their money thats why 115 jobs are going. Don't blame ths staff its the politicians that kept prices high now everyone hates the staff why? At the moment a few staff are employed at C&W and Airtel but then most staff are flown in on short term contracts (cheap labour)!! and once JT are gone who will fund the treasury coffers to the tune of the 6 million lost ...you guessed it the taxpayer.No 115 workers no tax from 115 workers who foots the bill....the taxpayer!! Cheaper calls now but you will pay for it one way or the other
Posted By: Ken St Helier on 13-Nov-2009
Jersey Telecom's have had it too good for too long. Now we are getting cheaper service from other companies and we can keep our own number it's not all Jersey Telecom's own way. If two shop's sold the same item you would shop where you pay less. Why have management been given big bonuses and staff been got rid of ? Obviously management don't care about their staff only about how much money they are paid, why should the comsumer pay for the priviledge of it.
Posted By: fraser on 13-Nov-2009
I agree with most of the comments and yes it is difficult to suddenly find yourself redundant and it is not the workers who are at fault here. Yet again our elected States members have left them in the lurch. Lastly competition is healthy as has been noted by other providers on the island. Why didn't JT step up to the plate and offer a more competitive service earlier or were senior management too busy lining their pockets with a fat cat bonus? A lot of people don't want cheap tickets to Jersey Live they actually want cheaper telephone calls and no roaming fees!!!
Posted By: Matt on 12-Nov-2009
Tessa I do not believe anybody likes to see job losses but I understand this not to be concluded until March 2010. But when do we ever see sympathy for any job losses in the private sector? If people don't show any compassion for job losses outside of States owned services then what do you expect when outnumbered by 7 to 1? It is sad but thats life I am afraid.
Posted By: Tessa - St Peter on 12-Nov-2009
I'm shocked by some of the attitudes below and wonder how these people would feel if they lost their jobs just before Christmas.
I'm also surprised that the views expressed are so short sighted - we may be able to get the odd cheaper call now, but JT profits go back to the shareholder = the States. Surely the less JT contribute the more that has to be found from taxes and cut backs will continue to be made in public services. Is that really what this island wants?
Posted By: Claire on 12-Nov-2009
It is healthy for the island to have competition as it gives the people of the island a choice of products to choose from.
Both Airtel and Sure have been pushing the best possible products and pricing to gain market share, whereas Jersey Telecoms would rather keep their expensive prices than give the islanders fair prices which has made so many people redundant.
It is a real shame.
Posted By: It's cheap to talk with JT??? on 12-Nov-2009
Reg I recently had to pay over £100 in roaming charges without the calls themselves included in that amount for being off the Island for 9 days with JT.That was mainly from recieving calls & not making them. Why the hell should we think twice & shop local if we can get better deals elsewhere?? Ok, so it's ok for us local people to get totally ripped off & empty our pockets just so all staff at JT can keep their jobs! Think the people you actually want to be preaching at is JT themselves for being too greedy. I for certain am going to switch operators as soon as my contract runs out!!!
Posted By: Paul Letherbarrow on 12-Nov-2009
A typical Government owned utility where the price of the furniture is more important and now they cannot afford it. Well the days of JT having the monopoly are over and we have all benefitted from it. Whilst I sympathise with anybody losing their job, judging by some of the salary rumours of some JT staff I would say they have had it good for far too long now anyhow and all good things comes to an end, as they say.
Posted By: Matt, St Helier on 12-Nov-2009
So why didn’t the States sell Jersey Telecom when it had the chance? I seem to recall Geoff Southern & Co doing their utmost best to stop the sale to help the workers, well, that’s just back fired now hasn’t it, because a quarter are losing their jobs anyway. Well so much for their political intervention into this one.
Posted By: MoaningOldBugger St john on 12-Nov-2009
First Water
Second Telecoms
Third Whos Next
Posted By: David - StMartin on 12-Nov-2009
How on earth can they cosider reducing their staff levels? Currently they have over a 6 week wait for a phone line, massive queues in the shop and directory enquiries farmed out to the UK. Seems as though they want everyone to move to the opposition, then they won't need any staff!
Posted By: CJ of Grouville on 12-Nov-2009
Le Sueur, what was this then in April 2007
Workers 'guaranteed' protection
Workers at Jersey Telecom would be guaranteed job protection if the States decide to sell the company, according to the island's Treasury Minister.
Two representatives from trade union Amicas are in Jersey to speak to workers and organise a petition. Most of the 400 staff are members. Amicas said it wanted the States to make a legal promise that jobs would not be lost should the sale go ahead.
Senator Terry Le Sueur said the promise had already been made.
"That's the condition I've set out and I'm sure that's the condition the States would want me to adhere to," he said.
"I believe that the Jersey Telecom employees have protection not only as good as but better than what they have in the UK."
so lets cut 115 jobs now and make it easier to sell off
Posted By: Reg on 12-Nov-2009
In the words of Paul Weller " The public gets what the public wants" and this is price that competition brings. i wonder if anyone out there who changed to Airtel or Sure for their mobile service are regretting it a bit now , remember you were advised by that nice Senator McLean to think twice and shop local
Showing comments 1 - 17 of 17
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12/11/2009
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