Union fears over benefit records jobs

Workers who maintain the records of millions of people, including information about benefits, have voted to take industrial action in protest at plans offshore work to India.
By The Newsroom
Published 2nd Aug 2011, 07:00 BST

Members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) said they will refuse to co-operate with moving work from Sheffield, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Lytham to Bangalore, warning that 200 jobs could be lost.

The staff, employed by Hewlett Packard, collect data for the Department for Work and Pensions.

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PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “Not only could more than 200 jobs be lost if this plan gets the nod from the Government, but the security implications of sending millions of people’s personal data overseas are massive.

“While neither the Government nor HP are able to present a convincing financial case for this move, ministers are caught between their ideological drive to cut spending and an ideological belief that the private sector will create jobs in our economy, not cut them.”

Employment Minister Chris Grayling recently pledged that the Department for Work and Pensions would not move any department call-centre posts overseas.

Mr Grayling told MPs that “British-based staff are the best contact centre staff” after Newcastle MP and Shadow Business Minister Chi Onwurah sought reassurances on jobs under threat from being moved.

Related topics:IndiaDepartment for Work and PensionsGovernment