Prudential to ship 130 Scots jobs to India

Published on Thursday 8 February 2007 11:54

PRUDENTIAL has confirmed it is to offshore 130 jobs from its main Scottish site to India over the next 12-18 months.

The insurance giant, which employs more than 2500 people at Craigforth, near Stirling, said the jobs would be moved to Mumbai - alongside a further 80 currently based in Reading.

The firm said the move was part of its pledge made last year to cut 150 million from the costs of its UK business.

But union leaders have warned that the job cuts may not be the last in the Scottish financial sector.

The move follows the decision by the Pru in April 2006 to move 200 jobs to Craigforth and 230 to Mumbai, as it closed three out of five of its UK sites at Belfast, Bristol and Holborn Bars in London.

Darragh Leeson at Prudential said the company was looking for alternatives for employees who could lose their jobs.

He said: "We haven't put anybody on redundancy notice. We are committed to seeking alternatives within the business for these individuals.

"Redundancy . . . would be a last resort."

David Fleming of Amicus union said: "Amicus will not sit back and accept offshoring by stealth.

"This latest move simply adds to the sense of insecurity felt by the dedicated Prudential workforce."

The union claimed that the Pru could be planning to outsource the majority of its work, leaving only a minimum number of employees in the UK.