Angry workers 'left in the dark' over future of Galway jobs

Almost 250 workers at Aviva Insurance in Galway are furious at being ‘left in the dark’ by management over a review of the company’s operations, which could see the closure of its local facility.

There are also fears that if the Knocknacarra and Eyre Square operations are shut down, staff will only be offered statutory redundancies, with many not qualifying for payment at all.

However, senior workers in Galway are hopeful the local operation will escape relatively unscathed, as it is considered inexpensive to run when compared with its ‘five star’ headquarters in Dublin.Workers learned this week that the review of Irish operations could result in the loss of 500 of their 1,700 jobs at Aviva in Galway, Dublin and Cork.

Some Galway staff have already begun leaving the company because of the threat, having secured work elsewhere.

However, some senior workers in Galway remain hopeful the local operation will escape relatively unscathed – the Dublin HQ is an expensive building leased in 2007 and is understood to be moving to London, while Cork is a smaller operation than Galway.

Around 230 staff are employed at a call centre, claims service centre and administration building in Galway West Business Park, with 12 more in general insurance and life assurance at an office in Eyre Square.

One worker told the Connacht Tribune: “We haven’t a clue what’s going on. They told us there’d be an announcement in April which was put off until May, then June, July, September and now it’s supposed to be in October. That’s all the staff or the union know."

See full story in this week's Connacht Tribune.