BT urged to drop “distressing” job relocation plans

COMMUNICATION WORKERS UNION
15/07/2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BT URGED TO DROP “DISTRESSING” JOB RELOCATION PLANS

Trade unionists and local politicians have urged BT Group to reconsider its decision to relocate hundreds of jobs out of Liverpool, which they have warned will create “uncertainty and disruption”.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) – which represents BT workers – have expressed concern over company plans to withdraw from The Plaza, its Liverpool location.

BT claims that a significant increase in lease renewal cost at The Plaza means maintaining a presence at the site isn’t feasible after the contract expires in March 2027.

Around 600 employees are set to be hit by the plans, which will see some workers being forced to commute to Manchester and Leeds to keep their jobs, while other roles will be cut entirely.

The jobs being impacted includes work from across BT’s remit, with everyone from 999 callers to Openreach workers.

One particular group of employees seriously affected by the announcement are relay services workers, who enable deaf people to communicate over the phone.

This highly skilled, specialised work is vital for enabling communication for deaf and hard-of-hearing people, and the CWU fear that this may be the beginning of the end for a service which has provided a lifeline for thousands of people across the country.

The union’s call to keep these jobs in Liverpool has been widely supported across Liverpool, and has been backed by local councillors, MPs and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, whose mayor Steve Rotheram has written to BT urging them to reconsider their decision.

Commenting, Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram said: “Liverpool has been part of BT’s success story for generations, which is why news of the proposed closure of its Liverpool office and the potential loss of hundreds of jobs will come as a bitter blow to workers, their families and our wider city region.

“Businesses have every right to make commercial decisions, but they also have a responsibility to the communities and workforces that have helped them grow.

“Decisions of this scale shouldn’t be taken lightly and they shouldn’t be made without properly considering the impact on the people and the wider economy being affected.

“Our region has a highly skilled workforce, first-class digital infrastructure and a strong track record in supporting major employers.

“That’s why I’ve written to BT’s leadership urging them to think again and to work with us, local partners and the CWU to explore every possible option for retaining jobs and maintaining a significant presence in Liverpool.

“Too often, decisions like this are made in boardrooms a long way from the people who will live with the consequences. The workforce deserves to know that every avenue has been explored before such a major employer walks away from the negotiating table.

“My thoughts are with the workers and their families at what will be an incredibly worrying time. What I can guarantee is that we will continue to make the strongest possible case for Liverpool, for the workforce, and for the future of these high-quality unionised jobs in our city region.”

CWU Deputy General Secretary Karen Rose said: “Decisions like this should always consider the real impact on frontline employees and their families.

“Changes such as redundancy or relocation can cause distress, uncertainty and disruption. These employees work hard every day and are key to BT’s success.

“The CWU believe that it is economically viable for BT to maintain a presence in Liverpool and that is the best outcome for staff and service users. We are fully behind our members pushing for this to happen”.

ENDS

For further enquiries, please contact CWU Press Officer Marcus Barnett at mbarnett@cwu.org and CWU Regional Official Carl Webb at 07850 019602.