ABOUT 40 employees from Excelior’s Bendigo centre will lose their jobs by Christmas.The call centre announced yesterday it was in the final stages of negotiating the terms of its contract extension with AAPT.The terms include a phased ramping-down of services during a 12-month period.“It’s really disappointing for us,’’ Excelior chief executive officer John Watkinson said.“Unfortunately this is at the whim of the client and is one of the challenges of running an outsourced business.“AAPT has only been in communication with us on a monthly basis, so we haven’t had any certainty to AAPT’s plans.’’Mr Watkinson said that while AAPT would continue to phase down in Bendigo during the next 12 months, Excelior was confident it could avoid further job losses.“We’re pretty confident,’’ he said. “We’ve got a pipeline of potential opportunity.“We’re also making some significant investments into the centre.“The fact there is more lead-in time (regarding possible future job losses) gives us a better chance to backfill those positions.“We would obviously like to potentially offer new roles (to people who have worked for us before).“They will be the first port of call.’’Communications and Public Sector Union national organiser Paul Girdler said the union believed AAPT would move some work off- shore.“Off-shoring of call centre work is a great concern,’’ he said.“Telstra is doing it through Teletec and it appears that AAPT is doing the same thing.“Our first criticism is of AAPT because obviously it is going to lead to job losses in an environment where we should try to keep as many skilled jobs in the Australian economy (as possible).’’Mr Girdler said he would most likely travel to Bendigo today.Yesterday’s announcement comes just months after AAPT began trialling operations in the Philippines.AAPT did not comment yesterday on whether those trials would continue or become permanent.Its head of corporate communications Tahn Shannon said AAPT had indicated to Excelior more than 12 months ago it would ramp down its resourcing requirements following the implementation of a multi-million-dollar billing and provisioning platform.“Consistent with our decision last year to ramp down our contract with Excelior and expand our contact centre operations in Sydney, our ongoing resourcing requirements from Excelior have decreased,’’ Ms Shannon said.“We are simultaneously focusing on expanding the capability of our existing contact centre in Glebe, Sydney.“Our aim is to redeploy all impacted employees into new roles within our business.’’A long-term Excelior employee said yesterday’s announcement was disappointing, but not surprising.“Excelior promised they would replace AAPT contracts so everyone would have a job,’’ the worker said.“Excelior has not lived up to its promise.’’State Regional and Rural Development Minister Jacinta Allan described the job losses as a “bitter blow’’ for Bendigo.“AAPT has turned its back on this community and that is extremely disappointing,’’ she said.“The Brumby Government will move quickly to assist the workers affected and also examine ways to assist Excelior secure new business opportunities.“While it is a tough global economic environment, now is not the time to be cutting jobs.’’Bendigo city futures director Stan Liacos said the city would do everything possible to support Excelior’s operation in Bendigo.“We’re concerned on behalf of our community, but understand the company’s decision,’’ he said.