Northwestel Inc. has eliminated 29 positions across the North, the company said Tuesday.

In a 10-line press release sent out last evening, the company said it is doing away with 17 union and 12 non-union positions.

"Northwestel has undertaken several measures to optimize its operations and better position the company for the future. We have realigned reporting structures and redistributed job functions...” the company said.

Christiane Vaillancourt, the company's director of communications, said this morning not all the eliminated positions are currently full.

She wouldn't say exactly how many people have lost their jobs, calling it an "internal matter.”

Vaillancourt would also not say how many of the positions are in the Yukon.

Steve Bapty, the president of the local International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union, said this morning he doesn't have any comment on the situation at this point.

Bapty said he couldn't say anything because not all the employees have been informed as to what their options are.

Employees could be offered other positions within the company or retirement packages, he said.

Northwestel said it will be offering retirement incentive packages for those employees with 30 years or more of pensionable service.

As for how many people could qualify, "Not that many,” Bapty said.

The changes will not interrupt service delivery, Northwestel said.

The company provides telecommunications and entertainment services in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, the Yukon, northern British Columbia and High Level, Alta.

Employing almost 600 people, the company's operations span nearly four million square kilometres of the most remote and rugged areas of Canada.