Financial Services Union Calls on AIB and WIPRO to Provide Clarity On ‘Insourcing’ of Staff

The Financial Services Union today called on AIB and WIPRO to provide clarity to staff as the Bank announced it was taking back workers who had previously been outsourced to IT services company, WIPRO.

In 2015 AIB outsourced its ITO (information technology operation) to WIPRO. 

Now, in a significant change of direction, these staff will transfer back to AIB.   Approximately 100 staff are involved.

Senior Industrial Relations Officer with FSU, Mandy La Combre said, “FSU was critical of the original 2015 decision by AIB to outsource core bank functions and jobs to a third party supplier.  We welcome today’s decision to take those jobs back ‘in-house’. 

“However, WIPRO still carries out a number of other functions for AIB in areas such as application and development management.  Former AIB staff who transferred to WIPRO are central to this business.  AIB and WIPRO need to consult with these workers about their future plans.  Ideally we want to see these functions and jobs brought back to the bank.  At the very least, these workers need a clear outline about future plans,” stated Ms. La Combre.

FSU General Secretary Dermot Ryan said, “This is a major reversal of policy by AIB.  As a union we argue that core banking functions, and the staff who carry out that work, should not be outsourced.  Today’s news is welcome in that regard.   However we are calling on AIB and WIPRO to clarify the future role of staff currently working on AIB contracts for WIPRO.

“The fact that, after just three years, AIB is bringing core functions back in-house points to serious flaws in the outsourcing agenda.  FSU believes that all retail banks should be required to maintain core banking functions in-house.  This provides staff with certainty and it also provides confidence to customers.  Outsourcing is not the panacea that many in the industry claimed in recent years.  It’s time to put a stop to its gallop.”