Union tackle Aviva over job transfers to India

Senior Amicus union representatives are to meet with Aviva top management later today to discuss the details of the company's offshoring announcement of 2,350 jobs to India.

Union representatives will meet senior management from Aviva's Norwich Union Insurance (NUI) Business division as part of the formal consultation process commenced following the announcement earlier this week that jobs are to be offshored to India.

Amicus proposes to make its opposition to the outsourcing of these 2,350 job to India clear and will be seeking full information including detailed lists of the departments, the numbers of staff and the dates of the proposed transfers.

During the consultation process Amicus will put forward an alternative business case for keeping jobs in the UK, outlining the possible backlash from consumers and the political aspect including the loss of skills and wealth to local communities.

Prior to today's meeting Amicus Regional Secretary, Nanette Cormack, said: "The company's announcement last Tuesday left their employees shocked and angry at the plan to offshore 2,350 jobs to India.

"Amicus reacted angrily on Tuesday to the announcement. Today the union will carry that anger to senior management within the NUI business unit. The union's campaign starts today. We will give Aviva our message of anger and offer of help to secure these 2,350 jobs within the UK."

On Tuesday Aviva announced jobs would be transferred "offshore" to India, in all 2,350 jobs would be created resulting in a rationalisation of the UK operation in plans for 2004.

Aviva said that they believed that up to 90% of the jobs losses in the UK could be accommodated through expansion of business, attrition, voluntary redundancy and redeployment.

(SP)