Glasgow O2 workers balloted on strike action over jobs dispute Thousands of workers in O2 call centres will be balloted on strike action in a dispute over jobs. Members of the Communication Workers Union in Glasgow will be consulted on taking the action amid reports of the site being earmarked for closure. Workers for O2 in Bury, Leeds and Preston Brook, near Warrington, will also take part in the vote over the next few weeks. The union said there were rumours of O2 outsourcing work to South Africa and India, while the Glasgow base of the company's call centre operations, where around 900 are employed, could be closed under the reconstruction plans. Andy Kerr, the union's deputy general secretary, said: "This ballot is about protecting decent UK jobs. We've been forced to hold a ballot because of the unusually short consultation period and lack of progress on assurances over job security, terms and conditions, and the future of sites. We wanted to have a negotiated way forward but our hands have been tied. We're already two weeks into the 41 day consultation period and we've made no progress at all on key issues. Trust is at rock-bottom, made worse by media speculation around site closures and offshoring work. Our members don't know who to trust and we feel like we've been lied to. We've been left no option by the company but to hold this ballot. O2 announced last week plans to outsource around 3500 jobs to Capita. The Daily Telegraph reported last week that O2"s Skypark site in Glasgow could be among those to close under the plans as the telecommunications firm looked to cut its current UK call centre workforce from 3800 to around 1300. O2, which is owned by Telefonica Europe, said that the proposal was "one scenario" being considered by management. The union's ballot result is due on June 18. A spokesman for the telecommunications firm said: "We are disappointed. We're committed to meeting the CWU as frequently as necessary to discuss their concerns with the aim of reaching agreement and avoiding the ballot and any subsequent industrial action.