Shropshire was dealt a major jobs blow today after one of its biggest employers announced it was set to axe hundreds of jobs across its group.
Capgemini/Aspire, Telford’s biggest private employer, is axing up to 20 per cent of staff employed on a major computer deal for the tax man.
The information technology giant, which employs 2,200 in the town, said today consultations with workforce leaders have started, with a decision on job losses expected by March.
Today’s bombshell follows plans to cut costs by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs department, for which Capgemini provides IT services in a deal called Aspire (A Strategic Partnership for the Inland Revenue).
Capgemini spokeswoman Rebecca Thomas said: “As a major project within the department, the Aspire contract is committed to delivering a significant proportion of these savings.
“We are therefore currently reviewing the Capgemini/Aspire contract to assess our ongoing requirements and the business has entered a formal period of consultation with our works council on a compulsory redundancy programme which could affect up to 20 per cent of the Capgemini/Aspire workforce across the whole business.”
She added: “Staff will be informed of the outcome and implications once consultation is complete, expected around March next year.”
Proportionately at Telford that would amount to about 450, although it is not known how much of the county workforce is involved in Aspire.
Capgemini has been the main sponsor of AFC Telford United since 2004.
l On a brighter note there was a fall in the number of people claiming unemployment benefit in Shropshire today, down 132 from 4,597 in September to 4,465.
By Business Correspondent Neil Thomas
11 Comments
Not unexpected,I believe there will be more redundancies to follow with the people who are working on other government contracts in this area.
Its most likely a plan to move the jobs to India. The company has been placing Mumbai staff on 2 year rotations in the UK and now has the knowledge to shift work to India. Whatever happened to British Jobs for British workers !
I simply do not understand the logic of a company making a profit and then announcing Compulsary Redundancies. Then to do so just before Christmas - and not for the first time. It is cruel and unfair. There is a much fairer way of pulling in the belt and saving money, and this is not one of them. Shame on them.
you would of thought that it would be last in first out but there not going to get rid of all the cheaper employees are they! so it looks like it will be british workers who loose out again!
Getting rid of consultants who take 100k a year might help, or here’s a brain wave, why not employ local people instead of paying for train fares to & from Glasgow every week and paying for hotels while here?????…
And they used to say a few years ago, IT is the field to work in. I work for a rival company in Telford and things are no better here.
Tellbue you have it in one, expensive hotels bills a-la the holiday Inn for consultants when there are probably people who live locally who could do the job. its disgusting how the loyal workforce are being treated
I say they should get rid the huge numbers of mangers employed who seem to do bugger all. Also scrap the time consuming and expensive performance managment system which seems soley designed to demoralise and provide ‘justification’ for zero pay rises.
‘Twas ever thus.
Grave for the workers, gravy for the bosses!
Funny how more staff seem to be getting a lower performance rating this year so the Company dont have to pay out on bonuses. Yet half the Managers dont even know what their staff do! Ask the people who know, not those in charge.
It is standard Capgemini practice to announce redundancy programmes at the end of the year, just before employees are told whether they will be getting a pay rise.
The Chinese have a proverb: “Kill the chicken to frighten the monkey”.
Capgemini are taking this bit of Oriental wisdom to heart, it would seem.