Jobs being axed at Aviva

Unions are up in arms after the insurance giant Aviva announced that it is getting rid of between fifteen and eighteen hundred jobs across the country. This comes only a couple of years after it moved part of its operations to India and got rid of another four thousand member of staff.

Officials from Aviva have tried to claim that the reason behind the job losses is to streamline yet improve service, as well as to drive the growth of the company. The chief executive of the group, Andrew Moss, has said that he wants to double shareholders’ returns by improving business but cutting costs.

It is thought that the job losses will take place over the next couple of years, and that some staff members may be offered transfers to other locations where possible. However, this has not satisfied union officials.

One union spokesperson said: ‘Aviva is rapidly withdrawing their commitment to local communities and isolating themselves in a small number of cities. The suggestion that employees will be able to relocate appears to be inconceivable for most of those affected.’

An official from the insurance group said: ‘We are a very strong business that has grown over the years into a complex organisation. We want to deliver excellent, consistent and reliable customer service with market leading efficiency. To achieve this we will need to fundamentally simplify our business.’