Rural AAPT jobs remain secure

08.02.2007
Telecommunications carrier AAPT Ltd. has secured all 380 jobs at its Australian call centers of Bendigo, Victoria and Robina in the state of Queensland in the wake of rumors they could face the axe late last year.

Job security was previously uncertain when the New Zealand-based telco announced in November last year that it would move its call center operations to Glebe, Sydney as part of its centralizing "Hyperbaric" strategy.

All staff will continue working for AAPT until December this year when they will be re-employed by call center outsourcer Excelior, with some 20 employees relocating to work in the telco's new CBD headquarters.

AAPT consumer and small enterprise general manager David Watson said the deal was beneficial for the telco and its Queensland and Victoria-based staff.

"This is an excellent result for all of our people in Bendigo and Robina," Watson said. "We have been working hard to ensure ongoing, secure employment for the people in our call centers, following the announcement to transfer our call center operations to Sydney last November. I'd like to thank the people in Bendigo and Robina for their patience as we've worked through the negotiations."

AAPT public affairs general manager David Havyatt said local councils and state governments assisted with the transition.