Optus has confirmed that 440 roles will be made redundant at the telco.
“As we continue to evolve the way we work, do business and fund future investments we are removing duplication, improving our operating efficiency and embracing next-generation technologies, like digitisation and automation to achieve this goal,” a spokesperson said.
The telco will be speaking with affected employees and “discussing redeployment opportunities where available”
“We are structuring our organisation to become the next-generation Optus and continue to meet the needs of our customers,” the Optus spokesperson said.
Optus in May confirmed plans to 400 positions. It also announced that it would close down the Virgin Mobile brand, affecting some 200 employees and 36 stores.
As of the end of June this year, Optus employed just under 8150 people — a 3.9 per cent year-on-year decrease.
A spokesperson for the CEPU described the job cuts as “utterly devastating” for workers and their families.
“Optus management is showing clear contempt for its workforce by continuing to slash hundreds of jobs with absolutely no consultation with the workforce, while they’ve been sitting at the table with the union to bargain for a new enterprise agreement,” said CEPU Communications Union national president, Shane Murphy.
“The union will be doing everything we can to assist the impacted workers during this incredibly difficult time,” Murphy said.
“We will be working will Optus to ensure every single worker gets the entitlements they deserve.
“Their timing of these continuous and enormous job cuts demonstrates a reprehensible contempt for the Optus workforce.”
At Telstra, the telco expects a net 8000 cut to headcount as part of its new 'T22' strategy. That includes a number of its senior executives.