UNION leaders have vowed to fight 550 job cuts at the British Gas call centre in Southampton.
British Gas today announced it plans to close its operation in St Mary’s Road by the end of the year as part of a cost cutting review.
Union leaders said the closure of the site in Southampton would be a ''blow'' to the workers as well as the local economy.
Mike Jeram, national officer of Unison, said: ''This is obviously very worrying news and a blow for our members working in Southampton.
"British Gas has been a significant employer in the city for many years and the customer service centre provides a variety of working patterns that are popular with staff especially those with children or other caring responsibilities.
''Unison's immediate priority is the interests of our members in Southampton and the impact on British Gas customers.
"We will rigorously examine the company's business case with a view to defending our members' jobs and avoiding compulsory redundancies. Members will need significant assistance from the company given the dire state of the economy if this plan goes ahead.''
