250 jobs at risk as Dearne call centre closure announced

ALMOST 250 jobs are under threat after energy firm E.ON said it was pulling the plug on its Dearne Valley call centre.

The firm has not stated if any staff at the company’s offices on Golden Smithies Lane at Manvers will be able to move to other branches.

Trade unions Prospect, Unite, Unison and GMB have begun discussing the move with management and staff but no date for the proposed closure has been set.

Wentworth and Dearne MP John Healey called the potential job losses “a big blow to our area”.

He added: “This is disappointing news which will have come as a shock to E.ON’s committed workers in Wath. 

“I’m talking to E.ON and the unions involved and am fighting for E.ON to agree to redeploy and retrain as many staff as possible. 

“If there is no other option, I want to see a decent redundancy package on the table.”

A spokeswoman for E.ON said: “We constantly review all aspects of our business to make sure we continue to give customers a high quality and cost-effective service and to ensure we are set up in the right way to succeed in the future energy market. 

“As part of this process, we are proposing to leave our office location at Wath in South Yorkshire. 

“This proposal is not a reflection of the performance of this site and we value the contribution our colleagues make to our business. 

“We absolutely understand the effect this will have and we will now consult with our trade unions and colleagues on the proposal.”

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