Four hundred call centre workers in mid Wales have held urgent talks about strike action over concerns their jobs could be moved to India.

Catalogue company Reality, based at Newtown, is faced with possible industrial action over moves by parent company Great Universal Stores to consider call centre options abroad.

Call centres in Wales employ 24,000 workers

Union officials talked to the Newtown workers on Wednesday at the town's British Legion club behind closed doors about balloting next week over strike action.

Shopworkers' union Usdaw said it has received no assurances that none of the 4,000 jobs in Britain will be lost after a trial to divert UK customer calls to centres in India ends later this month.

Usdaw spokesman Bill Snell said the process of using 50 call workers in Bangalore had gone ahead without any consultation.

Mid Wales AM Glyn Davies warned that if jobs were lost, it would be a huge economic blow to Newtown.

Reality in Newtown is a key employer

The Newtown call centre has grown from a catalogue and mail order company to become a leading employer, he said.

He added that he understood staff fears about their future after a month of rumours.

Bangalore call centre

"I think they are right to be worried, there's a shortage of information," he said.

He called for the Welsh Assembly to be involved in talks with the firm.

A Reality spokesperson declined to comment on Tuesday about the possibility of strike action ahead of a ballot on Wednesday evening.

Reality said it had used the call centre in Bangalore as part of a wider plan to find ways to increase the level of its services and support its existing 4,000 UK call centre workers.

Reality's offices in Newtown

But Usdaw is concerned that the pilot scheme will result in bigger plans to cut costs and officials are seeking assurances that jobs will not be lost.

After failing to secure a response from management, the union is now planning a postal ballot next week of members working for Reality.

GUS runs home shopping catalogues Kays, Choice and Great Universal and also controls catalogue chain Argos.

More than 100 companies operate call centres in Wales, employing more than 24,000 workers, with almost half the centres based in Cardiff.

But ITV Digital recently shed 900 call centre workers at Pembroke Dock, after the firm hit major financial problems.

A spokesperson for Reality said outside call centres had been used over the years to cope with additional demand from customers.

A company statement added: "The company is now looking to supplement the UK supplier with its UK outsource capacity to meet the needs of the business.

"A number of other UK based companies already operate successful overseas call centres because of its cost-effectiveness.

"This is a part of a growth strategy."