Prudential transfers 76 jobs to Mumbai, union protests in UK

LONDON: Life insurance and financial services major Prudential is facing industrial action due to its decision to offshore skilled jobs to Mumbai, workers union

LONDON: Life insurance and financial services major Prudential is facing industrial action due to its decision to offshore skilled jobs to Mumbai, workers union Unite said.

HT Image

Unite said its members based in Reading voted 97% in favour of industrial action against the plans to transfer 76 jobs to India’s financial capital.

The jobs include auditing of Mumbai auditors, technical referrals from Mumbai, creating/amending business process management, creating/amending checklists, amending of template letters, auditing of processers, meetings and no coaching. The strike began on Wednesday.

Staff in the annuities department will not “co-operate or undertake any work related to Project Jupiter”, the plan to offshore work from the Reading site, the union said in a statement on Wednesday.

“Unite understands that this will severely delay the transfer of work to Mumbai. Unite believes this industrial dispute will have significant consequences on the speed and accuracy of the vital annuities work currently undertaken in Reading for Prudential customers.”

Unite regional officer Ian Methven said: “The union has presented a counter proposal asking the company to stop the offshoring and engage constructively with Unite and our members on how the Reading employees can deliver efficiencies, while retaining the knowledge and experience.”