Bank cuts jobs in outsource move

Unite understands Barclays is going to outsource the jobs

More than 100 banking jobs are to be axed from offices in Cardiff.

Barclays is to outsource its department which deals with deceased customers' accounts leading to 109 job losses to a third-party supplier in Warwickshire.

The bank said it had reviewed how its deceased case management unit operates and said the move would be better for its customers and save it money.

The union Unite said it was deeply concerned at the plans as the work requires highly-trained staff.

The affected department is based in Windsor Place in Cardiff with the job losses set to start in Easter 2009.

It is understood the jobs are being transferred to an outsource centre in Stratford-upon-Avon with all the positions expected to have been moved from the Welsh capital by September 2009.

We have grave concerns about this decision to outsource such a sensitive function Steve Pantak - Unite

A further 56 jobs will be lost from offices in north London.

The plan follows Barclays' announcement to close its First Plus division in Cardiff with the loss of 300 jobs.

In a statement Barclays said "The unit would require significant technological investment to continue to operate efficiently and it has therefore been decided that the work of this unit is best continued by a specialist third-party supplier.

"This will result in a better service for customers and will save significant investment costs.

"The small existing team won't be transferring to the third-party supplier as the new supplier will be based in Stratford-upon-Avon.

"However, all staff will be given extensive support in exploring the opportunities available to them and will receive competitive displacement packages where other options are not available or they chose not to take them."

'Bitter blow'

The union said this latest decision was a "bitter blow" to the local workforce and met the affected staff on Monday after the move was announced by their employers.

Unite officer Steve Pantak said: "We have grave concerns about this decision to outsource such a sensitive function.

"The work of the highly-trained staff which deal with the accounts of deceased customers should not be outsourced.

"We are calling on Barclays to think again about this decision, for both the good of their customers and their staff in Cardiff."