Company Faces Industrial Action Over IT Jobs

Company Faces Industrial Action Over IT Jobs

Steria, an IT services company is now facing industrial action over its move to outsource jobs to India on a contract with the Co-operative banking group.


The trade union, Unite, is launching actions against Steria's plan to create over 30 compulsory redundancies between its IT staff and those working in CFS.



Richard Lynch, Unite Negotiating Officer, stated,  "These cutbacks bring to 90 the number of voluntary or compulsory redundancies in the Steria CFS account since the summer and we fear that there may be more over the coming period."



"We will resist these redundancies in any way we can, including by industrial action if necessary. We consider it neither fair nor ethical that loyal and committed staff should be forced out of their jobs, particularly at a time of rapidly-rising unemployment, so that companies can boost their profits by getting more and more work done abroad."



Steria, on the other hand, claims that the company is assessing efficiencies and policies to guarantee valuable services to their clients. The company aims that through transferring some jobs to India, they will be able to deliver "industrious and leaner business model" to customers amidst the worldwide economic crisis.



Steria is a provider of IT-driven business services, focusing on key vertical market sectors: public services; finance; telecommunications; utilities and transport. The company provides consulting services for its clients' core business processes, and also develops and operates their information systems. It has more than 18,000 employees working in 16 countries.