Thousands of Suncorp employees face a nervous wait as the Queensland based company undertakes a study to determine whether insurance jobs are to be sent offshore.

Indian based outsourcing companies World Network Services and Genpact are in Australia at Suncorp workplaces assessing roles and business processes for offshoring suitability, and are believed to be preparing tenders to manage Suncorp’s offshoring program.

“This is a slap in the face to the employees who assisted policy holders impacted by the unprecedented natural disasters that have occurred in recent years. After putting in extra hours and working hard to process the high volume of resulting claims, to now have their jobs threatened is unconscionable,” said Finance Sector Union National Secretary Leon Carter.

The FSU understands insurance claims processing roles are in-scope for offshoring as part of the mapping exercise Suncorp is undertaking, the first time any Australian insurer has considered sending these kinds of roles out of the country.

“If governments give Suncorp the green light to send finance jobs offshore it could potentially open the flood gates for other finance companies to follow suit,” said Leon Carter.

“Every time there is a bit of pressure in our industry, despite being an industry that has weathered the tough times that have affected the rest of the globe and remained profitable, sacking Australian workers seems to be the immediate reaction,”

“There is no evidence that sending finance jobs offshore improves customer service, in fact the experience of our members indicates the opposite is true. Dealing with an overseas workforce actually hampers the delivery of efficient and professional customer service,” said Leon Carter.

The FSU will be in Canberra this week to press the point about the long term sustainability of the Australian finance industry with Members of Parliament, and expects to meet with Suncorp next week.

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Spokesperson:  Leon Carter   0409 946 597
Media:              Leanne Shingles   0423 821 773