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Feb 1, 2012 -- Telstra will cut 13 Ballarat-based administrative jobs in coming months under a cost-cutting plan which will see work sent overseas.

Employees were told yesterday that redundancies would be offered at the company’s Gillies Street call centre, with the losses part of a plan to reassign work currently performed by 73 people to an overseas partner.

The job cuts will also affect staff in Melbourne, Brisbane, Newcastle and Hobart.

Telstra South West Victoria general manager Bill Mundy said the company would aim to complete as many voluntary redundancies as possible.

"Telstra will actively seek deployment opportunities in other parts of the business where possible or provide retrenchment entitlements.

"We believe these proposed changes can help us to deliver a better experience for our customers through more efficient business processes," Mr Mundy said.

Mr Mundy said the cuts could take as long as six months to be completed and focused on data entry, order processing and contractor payment positions.

Staff were informed yesterday that positions within working groups would be made redundant, but no individuals have yet had their employment terminated.

In January 2011, almost 80 staff at Telstra’s Ballarat call centre were sacked as part of moves to send work overseas.

Ballarat West MP Sharon Knight called on Telstra to work with employees to assist them in finding other jobs.

I don’t want to see the loss of any jobs in our community," she said.

"I believe that the Baillieu government needs to be taking action to support jobs and families in Ballarat and I call on the Premier to tell our community, and our region, when he will deliver a plan to create and retain jobs."

A spokesperson for Premier Ted Baillieu said the government would continue to attract business to regional Victoria to boost employment.

Posted by Veronica Silva Cusi, news correspondent
Source: http://www.thecourier.com.au

About Telstra:
Telstra Incorporated is a global provider of advanced communications services to multinational corporations.