Mortgage Industry News

← Back

Wales to lose jobs to overseas competitors

Date: Wed, 03 Dec 03 Analysis

Almost half of Wales's call centre jobs could be lost within five years to competition from India, Amicus has warned.

The union's David Fleming said the UK was in real danger of losing a further 200,000 jobs to overseas competitors, around 10,000 of those in Wales.

Wales has around 24,000 call centre employees in an industry worth £400 million to its economy, but the number is rapidly depleting, exemplified by the loss of 100 Norwich Union life insurance jobs in Cardiff yesterday.

A spokeswoman for Norwich Union said: "The reasons why we are doing this include competitive advantage and to maintain high levels of customer service. We are doing that in the UK as well as in our operations in India."

Mr Fleming said: "The same people in Wales that suffered with the loss of mining and traditional manufacturing are suffering with the loss of these jobs overseas."

He urged the government to collaborate with employers to seek ways to take advantage of technical innovation to provide more jobs.

"The Scottish Parliament has led the way - they have established the Financial Services Strategy Group which is increasingly important in Scotland and we would certainly like the Welsh Assembly to take similar steps," Mr Fleming said.

© 1998-2005 DeHavilland Information Services plc. All rights reserved.

Endsleigh Insurance Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. This can be checked on the FSA Register by visiting its web site at www.fsa.gov.uk/register.
Endsleigh Insurance Services Limited. Company No: 856706 registered in England at Shurdington Road, Cheltenham Spa, Gloucestershire GL51 4UE.