Cablevision Systems Corp. said Friday that it is reducing staff at its Lightpath business-telephone subsidiary as a result of the unit consolidating some of its operations, but the company would not say how many employees would be axed.
A report in Newsday Friday pegged the number at 71 workers, or about 15% of Lightpath’s 500 employees, including some supervisors, engineers, phone-system installers and sales assistants.
Cablevision spokeswoman Kim Kerns would not confirm the Newsday numbers.
The cuts appear to be the most severe since the company eliminated some 3,000 jobs in 2002 as part of a restructuring that also included shutting its consumer-electronics chain, The Wiz, Newsday said.
At that time, Cablevision said it would scale back Lightpath's expansion plans, eliminating New Jersey from its coverage area, which includes Long Island and Westchester County, N.Y.
"Lightpath is consolidating certain operations, resulting in a reduction of staff," Kerns told Newsday. "While these decisions are always difficult, the changes will ensure that the company is able to continue to efficiently and effectively" deliver services.
