Staff fears on Bangalore data transfer

concerns over the security of Department of Work and Pensions records have been raised by Government IT workers in Yorkshire who claim their work is to be “outsourced” to India

By The Newsroom

Published 8th Aug 2011, 09:29 BST

Staff working for the DWP in Sheffield claim they have been told to start work on “packaging” personal files in preparation for their transfer to Bangalore.

Their union, the PCS, said workers, who are employed by contractor Hewlett Packard, had been advised to formally refuse to undertake the work, starting today.

The action will also affect workers in Newcastle and Lytham. The union said 200 jobs were at risk.

A DWP spokesman said last night: “Any plans by Hewlett Packard to move departmental work offshore would have to be agreed by ministers and this decision hasn’t yet been made. Our contract is explicit that suppliers may not transfer or store data overseas without specific agreement.”