Aviva staff attack lack of details as 950 jobs to go

AVIVA employees and trade unions have criticised the lack of information surrounding plans by the insurance company to axe up to 950 jobs in Ireland, despite reporting profits of over €1.5 billion for the first half of 2011.

The criticism came last night as members of the UNITE trade union, which represents a majority of Aviva staff, voted unanimously in favour of balloting on industrial action if the company attempts to push through any redundancies without the agreement of employees.

Aviva confirmed it will seek to cut its Irish workforce of almost 2,000 employees by half as part of a major restructuring of its European operations — resulting in the merger of its Irish and British divisions.