Wall of silence at WorldCom UK

WorldCom will not say how British jobs will be affected

By Duncan Walker BBC News Online

With a £2.5bn accounting fraud putting the future of 3,000 British jobs under question, the mood at WorldCom's UK headquarters was one of surprising calm.

Within hours of the company announcing that 17,000 jobs worldwide would have to go, staff at its glittering steel and glass offices on a Reading industrial estate remained tight-lipped.

Perhaps it had something to do with the security guards who kept a watchful eye as I approached workers enjoying lunch in WorldCom's lakeside restaurant and the surrounding gardens.

After a few nervous "no comments" from employees, the guards warned anyone who may have forgotten that they did not have to speak to the press.

We're still in business but that's as far as we can comment

WorldCom employee

One young member of staff was more forthcoming, revealing that many of his colleagues had been preparing themselves for news of cuts for some time.

Another told News Online the crisis had been caused by "stupid" accounting and "gallows humour" was helping people to get by.

WorldCom, one of the biggest suppliers of internet and data services to European businesses, is still to announce how British jobs will be affected.

'Nothing concrete'

The response from many of those enjoying the bright sunshine was the same: "We can't talk to the press."

One man, walking with three colleagues, simply said: "We're still in business but that's as far as we can comment."

WorldCom staff are said to be "stunned"

Circuit designer Scott Flook, 22, has been with the company for five years and was one of the few prepared to speak out.

He told BBC News Online: "I'm not too sure how it's going to affect us. Nothing is concrete at the moment."

Mr Flook was philosophical about his future, claiming that many companies were going through difficult times and he was young enough to move on if the worst happened.

But he said many people had been with WorldCom for longer than him, including substantial numbers who had relocated to Reading from London in 2001.

"If it goes tits up they are going to be in a place they don't really want to live," he said.

'Business as usual'

Another employee said: "People are quite stunned, it has been the sole topic of conversation.

"The 17,000 job losses that is being quoted, was already planned...[people thought] that most of them were going to be in the States, now people are fairly sure it is going to be here as well.

It is not so much betrayal, as how could someone be so stupid

WorldCom employee

"We had an email from John Sidgemore (CEO), this morning. It basically said business as usual [and it shouldn't] affect our ability to carry on as usual."

The worker said people were trying to carry on as before, but the announcement had rattled some customers.

"I know that the account managers have been talking to their customers, trying to reassure them...it is not a KPNQwest thing, where they are talking of pulling the plug.

"There is a lot of gallows humour, which is people's way of dealing with it.

"It is not so much betrayal, as how could someone be so stupid as to let that sort of accounting error through, where were Andersen?"