Insurer sends more staff to India

INSURANCE giant Norwich Union prepared to send more work overseas today after staff at a UK office were told their roles would be carried out in India.

Owner Aviva said around 70 customer accounts-based positions at Norwich Union Direct were being created offshore, as part of a previously-announced strategy to have up to 7,000 jobs in India and Sri Lanka by 2007.

The move affects 60 people at Bishopbriggs near Glasgow, although Aviva said there would be no redundancies as staff would be given other roles.

Aviva, which employs 800 people at Bishopbriggs, currently has 4,000 jobs in offshore locations, in a move that has angered finance union Amicus.It said today it planned to call for legislation that required businesses to produce evidence to justify a decision to use offshore offices.

Regional officer Andy Case said: 'Amicus opposes offshoring and we refute the idea that it offers long-term economic benefits to the company.

'We will be doing all we can to ensure that affected staff are not made redundant but are found suitable roles within the company.'

Aviva has sites in Bangalore, Pune and Noida in India, as well as a small operation in Sri Lanka.