Concerns some Sky staff learned of potential job losses from media

By Declan Carey, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Leeds North West MP Alex Sobel is demanding answers from Sky after claims some staff found out about potential job losses from watching Sky News before being told by bosses.

Around 2,000 jobs are at risk at Sky customer service centres in Stockport, Sheffield and Leeds central, which the firm said was part of “transforming” the business to “offer quicker, simpler, and more digital customer service.”

But the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has seen a letter sent to Sky, signed by seven different MPs, asking for clarity over how workers were notified about the move.

The letter reads: ”Staff members at Sky Stockport were called to a meeting between 13:00 and 13:30 on Thursday March 27, 2025. During this meeting, the news regarding potential redundancies was covered by Sky News.

‘As a result, employees on sick leave, holiday, or on a rest day were informed via the media’.

It went on to ask the company to ‘confirm that all necessary efforts were made to ensure that all staff were notified of this news by Sky before it was reported in the media, including Sky News’.

The letter was sent by Stockport MP Navendu Mishra and co-signed by Clive Betts MP (Sheffield South East), Olivia Blake MP (Sheffield Hallam), Sarah Champion MP (Rotherham), Gill Furniss MP (Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough), Abtisam Mohamed MP (Sheffield Central), and Alex Sobel MP (Leeds Central and Headingley, which includes Kirkstall ward).

Speaking anonymously, members of staff at Sky’s Stockport centre told the LDRS that some workers and their families first heard the news from media reports.

They said affected staff were invited to join a call about the situation at 1pm on March 27, which Sky confirmed.

One worker at Sky’s Stockport office said: “My partner and family members saw it breaking on Sky News before the call was over, which therefore meant anyone who didn’t get that text and join the call at 1pm found out from breaking news before being officially told.”

Another member of staff added: “We found out on the call itself but saw afterwards that [a] Sky News article was published.

“Some people had family members find out about the news before they had the chance to tell them – some were not comfortable telling their families straight away.”

The issue was raised in Parliament this week by Stockport’s MP.

Mr Mishra said there are ‘serious questions that have been raised’ by Sky employees over the level of potential job cuts and ‘the process being leaked to media outlets before all staff were made aware’.

Leader of the House of Commons, Lucy Powell MP, said: “I’m sure the company will have heard his concerns about how this was communicated, I think via the media, before it went to staff and employees, and that’s something that’s just not acceptable.”

Sky is the owner of Sky News, but it operates editorially independently.

A Sky spokesperson said: “We fully understand how sensitive this situation is, and our absolute priority is our people.”

The company said it understands that the story was not first reported by Sky News.

It said it began notifying impacted colleagues on the morning of March 27 to let them know as quickly as possible, through calls across all affected UK sites, with all affected staff invited to join a call at 1pm, and sent written communications at 1.20pm.

Sky believes that the vast majority of its staff heard the news from the company first, and explained that this was a priority.

The company said its focus has remained on supporting staff and providing as much clarity and care around the situation as possible.

Sky News was approached for comment.

Sky workers in Stockport told the LDRS earlier this week that the situation has left them struggling to sleep at night.

One staff member said: “We’re heartbroken. Behind every role at risk is a person – someone with a family to support, a mortgage to pay, or children to care for.

“We’re not just losing jobs. We’re facing the loss of our stability, our routine, and our peace of mind.

“The stress this is causing can’t be overstated. People are struggling to sleep. They’re worried about how they’ll afford their bills, how they’ll find new childcare if they have to travel further, and what their future looks like.”