‘Concrete guarantees’ call

Unite the union representing staff working in Prudential and across Capita has today (January 16) expressed concern following the announcement of the end of the life and pensions contract between the companies.

Some 1,100 staff and around 4m customer policies will be impacted by the news of a Prudential partnership with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). In addition 180 Prudential IT staff are transferring to TCS.

“News that Prudential is ending their long contract with Capita has come as a shock to the employees across the businesses,” said Unite regional officer Ian Methven. “There is legitimate alarm about what this TUPE transfer of staff means for their job security and future employment.

“Unite is calling on Prudential to urgently meet with the union in order to clarify what this new partnership will mean for their loyal workforce who continue to deliver the highest customer service for Prudential policy holders.

“There must be concrete guarantees that this new contract will not merely result in hundreds of jobs being offshored to India or important workplaces like Belfast being simply shut down,” he added.

“There has been no evidence that the Prudential appetite for offshoring has delivered any of the cost efficiencies which management have promoted, not to mention improved customer service outcomes.

“Prudential has worked closely with Capita for over ten years. The decision to transfer work to a new provider brings understandable fear about whether this is merely  another cost cutting exercise which will only serve to cut service and quality in the pursuit of efficiency. Where does this race to the bottom end for the staff?”

Unite is calling for urgent meetings with senior management across Prudential, TCS and Capita to get the guarantees that the workforce rightly deserve.