STAFF at one of Oswestry's biggest employers are in 'a state of anxiety over their unclear futures', a union has said.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU), who represent staff at BT in Oswestry, believe workers have been left in limbo over their futures.

A spokesperson said that staff at the their National Network Management Centre on the Artillery Business Park – where there were reportedly demonstrations against potential redundancies – have not been rewarded for their work throughout the pandemic.

A CWU spokesman said: “These key workers have gone the extra mile to keep Britain connected during the height of the pandemic.

“Now, those very same people have been forced into a state of anxiety over their unclear futures.

“This situation is entirely avoidable and unnecessary, and we urge BT to negotiate with the CWU and offer employees more transparency about the future of their workplaces.”

Redundancies have been rumoured to happen at the Whittington site since lockdown began, but a spokesman for BT Group says that while the company will be going through changes, Oswestry's future was not-yet-decided.

The move comes after demonstrations out its Shrewsbury base on Thursday; however, the company also rebuffed claims that BT were set to migrate its workforce into major cities.

A BT Group spokesman said:“We haven’t announced the closure of our office in Oswestry.

"BT is going through a period of immense change and investment for the future. As the market continues to evolve and the needs of our customers change, we’ll need to adapt and respond.

“Our Better Workplace Programme, first announced in 2018, will improve and consolidate BT’s footprint of corporate offices, contact centres and specialist sites across the UK.

"Colleagues based at BT’s new or refurbished locations will benefit from our investment in future-fit workspaces and our ambition is to increase efficiency and productivity, improving our ability to do the best for customers.

"We’ll continue to consult with colleagues and their unions on any proposed changes.”