The 2,500 staff at Pacific Century CyberWorks being offered voluntary redundancy are demanding a year's salary as compensation instead of the nine months offered.
The demand followed a meeting between employers and staff unions yesterday over the compensation packages.
Insiders say the company expects about 10 per cent of the 2,500 staff who have worked for the company for 20 years or more and who are being targeted in the drive to take up the offer.
It comes three months after the company officially took control of the former Cable & Wireless HKT. When CyberWorks chairman Richard Li Tzar-kai first launched his attempt to buy HKT in February he promised staff there would be no lay-offs.
All the staff being targeted come from the former Cable & Wireless HKT. Those opting to accept redundancy will retain their retirement benefits and be given nine months' salary.
Mr Li said: 'We won't force people to leave if they don't have to. And it's absolutely not related to any financial difficulties. Our financial and operational situations are satisfactory.'
Deputy chief executive of the group, Norman Yuen Kee-tong, said some long-standing job descriptions no longer applied which was why the firm targeted those with 20 years' experience.