O2 has outsourced four northern UK regions of its customer contact centres to Capita, in a deal worth £1.2bn.
Included regions are Leeds, Glasgow, Preston Brook and Bury.
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The deal follows several weeks of negotiations between the Communications Workers Union (CWU) and Capita, in which the Union threatened industrial action unless agreements could be reached on pay protection, pensions and general terms and conditions of employment.
As a result of agreements, 3,000 staff will be transferring to Capita, but O2 will be offering 1,000 opportunities for voluntary redundancy following the deal.
The CWU's agreement document stated that it believed the "intense negotations" that have taken place over the last few weeks have "concluded in a package of protection and assurances that are the best that can be achieved through negotiation".
As well as managing customer contact centres, Capita's new responsibilities will also include supporting and expanding O2's growing digital service offerings to its UK customers.
