Accenture Outsourcing, a company owned by the transnational consulting and outsourcing firm Accenture, is to close its call center in Sicily cutting 262 jobs.

The decision follows the decision announced in January by the former owner of the site and sole client, British Telecom Italia, to cancel the procurement contract. Subsequently, negotiations were held among both the companies and trade unions without reaching an agreement to safeguard workers and the site.

In the following days, the company will start a collective dismissal procedure and negotiate with employee representatives measures to reduce the impact of lay-offs.

Workers and trade unions protested against the decision announcing a permanent assembly, a 48 hours strike against the decision and asking the intervention of local institutions.