Following the announcement of a substantial redundancy plan last year, Aviva announced today job losses have been reduced to 550, and 220 new jobs will be created over the next two years.
Last October, Aviva announced 950 people would be made redundant at its Irish operation, starting in March 2012. However, the insurance company has now managed to scale back the number of job losses to 550.
The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, TD, welcomed this announcement, saying, “A large number of people in Aviva will be made voluntarily redundant as part of this process, and are still facing a very difficult situation this morning. However, the news that the number of job losses will be substantially lower than originally announced is very welcome.”
Bruton was also pleased with news that the company will also be creating 220 new jobs in a new service centre in Galway, noting that this confirms Aviva’s long-term commitment to Ireland. The minister, together with his department and the IDA, have had numerous meetings with the company on these issues, and have been fully supportive of measures to minimise job losses and deliver centres of excellence in Galway. “I’d like to pay tribute to senior management, unions and workers for their hard work in reaching today’s outcome,” he said.
The 220 positions will be created and filled over the next two years, in insurance claims and direct sales centres of excellence in Galway.
Unfortunately, there will still be 550 staff members asked to accept voluntary redundancy, with the company offering six weeks’ pay per year of service, capped at two-and-a-half years’ pay.
