Virgin Media to cut 2,200 posts

VIRGIN Media has announced plans to slash its 14,600 workforce as part of a shake-up of its business.

The cable TV giant, said it would look to cut its staffing levels by 2,200 between now and 2012.

Virgin Media, which has debts of more than £4bn, is a significant employer in the North West.

It employs 1,200 people at two customer service centres in Wythenshawe near Manchester and a further 150 in Liverpool.

Virgin Media said the changes were “critical” to ensuring its abillity to compete effectively.

The group, created by the 2005 merger of NTL with Telewest and subsequent takeover of Virgin Media in 2006,  said it would not start cutting jobs until late 2009.

In a statement chief executive Neil Berkett said: “Over the coming weeks and months, we will be developing more detailed proposals for their implementation.”

Earlier this month, the company won a deal to delay its debt repayments – giving it until 2012 to refinance £4.3bn worth of loans.