Fears for 30 jobs

Up to 30 jobs are under threat in a Powys town. Staff at Optimum Contact Solutions in Newtown were told yesterday that the branch is facing cuts.

Owned by Shop Direct Group, the parent company of catalogues such as Kays, Great Universal and Littlewoods, the call centre is one of a number of sites facing job losses.

The company said a total of 278 staff were being offered new shifts, the chance to retrain for higher posts or face redundancy.

One worker at the Newtown site, who declined to be named, said: "We were all called into a meeting yesterday to hear that the company could be making about 280 cuts nationwide at branches in Preston, Burnley and even Newtown.

"We were told 30 workers at the Newtown site will have to change hours to suit the company's desire, train upwards to become senior workers or take voluntary redundancy.

"Even the threat of compulsory redundancy was mentioned at the meeting.

"We have been given 90 days to decide on what we want to do and take it from there, but it is a sign of the times to be honest."

Mark Newton-Jones, Shop Direct Group chief executive, said: "We have seen a progressive change in the way customers engage with our contact centres. As a result, we need to realign our resources to meet changing customer demand."

He said, since 2005, website sales had risen from 18 per cent of products sold to more than 50 per cent now. That is expected to rise to at least 70 per cent of total sales by 2011.

The company said it would soon start consultation with workers and was working with trade unions and the management team.