STAFF AT insurer Aviva will be briefed this morning on expected plans for significant job losses at the company’s Irish operations.
Management has invited employees at its Dublin, Cork and Galway offices to what are being described as business updates early today starting from 8am.
The insurer, which employs about 2,000 people in Ireland, more than half of whom are located at its headquarters in Dublin, has been at the centre of speculation that it could shed up to 1,000 of its employees.
Sources close to the company last night said the number of jobs to be cut and outsourced was expected to exceed 1,000.
After last month admitting it was considering various options to ensure it had a sustainable and competitive business in Ireland given the difficult trading circumstances here, the British company was said to be drawing up a major restructuring plan.
The Aviva board met yesterday while representatives from Unite, which represents about 1,200 of the company’s workers, were also invited to meet human resources staff.
Staff leaving the meeting which concluded before 6pm yesterday were reluctant to talk to the media ahead of the briefings this morning. Sources said 850 jobs could be cut with a further 300 outsourced. More than 100 new jobs could be created in the company’s health division which is said to be performing well.
It was not clear from which divisions the jobs were to be cut and to where the outsourced jobs would go. Calls made to Aviva last night to confirm the jobs figures were not returned.
The company has been hit by a spate of management departures over the past year as the insurer reversed its decision to set up a European hub in Ireland, relocating to Britain instead.
Earlier this month, Unite condemned the lack of communication by Aviva with staff over the possible job losses, Unite regional officer Brian Gallagher saying that it showed “an immense lack of respect for loyal staff that they should know more about their future job security through the media than direct from the company”.
Unite is expected to issue a statement this morning following the staff briefings.
