Fed: Optus denied it plans to cut 2,500 jobs

AAP General News (Australia)
12-19-2003
Fed: Optus denied it plans to cut 2,500 jobs

Optus has denied a report that it plans to cut 2,500 Australian jobs by moving call
centres overseas.

Optus chief operating officer PAUL O'SULLIVAN says a media report was based on an internal
options paper examining ways to handle growth.

Mr O'SULLIVAN says Optus is always looking at outsourcing and further automation of
call centre activities in a bid to cut costs.

But he says call centres will always be required for more complex tasks and it's crazy
to suggest that 2,500 jobs are in danger.

Mr O'SULLIVAN says if there are any job losses, he'd expect the majority of staff will
be re-deployed, as has occurred in the past.

The ACTU earlier said it would be disgraceful if the Singapore-owned telco moved call
centre work offshore.

AAP RTV bp/ce/jas/rp

KEYWORD: OPTUS (MELBOURNE)

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