Metro by T-Mobile has apparently been hit with a round of layoffs.

T-Mobile has laid off employees of its Metro by T-Mobile prepaid business, according to a report from Light Reading. The exact number of layoffs is unknown, though, and T-Mobile hasn’t issued an official comment on the matter.

The National Wireless Independent Dealer Association issued a statement on these reported layoffs this week, saying that a “fairly large number” of Metro’s inside staff have been let go (via FierceWireless). Here’s the NWIDA’s full statement:

“A fairly large number of Metro by T-Mobile inside staff were let go by T-Mobile. Apparently, all departments that “ran reports” including departments and positions like Analysts and Administrative Assistants, as well as other staff, in Finance, Operations, Training and Business Development were told that T-Mobile would use the corporate departments to provide those services to Metro. They were deemed redundant and have been released.”

Meanwhile, the Communications Works of America has issued a comment of its own, saying that it’s “been sounding the alarm that the merger means tens of thousands of job cuts are coming.” CWA President Chris Shelton said this:

“T-Mobile is so eager to pad its executives’ bank accounts that they couldn’t even wait until the merger has gone through to start firing people. Since this deal was first announced, we’ve been sounding the alarm that the merger means tens of thousands of job cuts are coming. Sure enough, here they are. If the merger passes the final hurdles, we can expect thousands more. That’s why these workers need a voice at the table to protect their jobs and wages.”

Jobs have been a major focus of T-Mobile and Sprint’s proposed merger. While critics of the deal have said that it’ll result in lost jobs and lower pay for workers, T-Mobile has insisted that the combined company “will be a job creator.” The New T-Mobile website calls out T-Mo’s acquisition of MetroPCS, saying that since that deal, “the number of Metro and Metro dealer employees who support the MetroPCS brand has more than tripled.”

Source: Light Reading