The General Workers Union’s (GWU) professionals, finance and services section has expressed concern over outsourcing being made by HSBC Bank Malta plc.

The GWU said in a statement that while it was true that a good number of employment opportunities were being generated at the bank’s call centre, it was also the case that a number of employees were being sent to work abroad and in certain precarious local sectors.

The union said it believed that employers such as bank employers should adopt different policies and a social responsibility towards all their employees.

It said that about eight HSBC employees with good salaries who used to work in the control room were to be redeployed internally.

Eight private wardens earning a minimum wage will be replacing them, and this would mean that people whose job was previously that of a warden would be burdened with a huge responsibility and long working hours for which they would definitely not be compensated in the right manner.

The union said it had filed several protests about this form of outsourcing that often happened at HSBC. It had also protested about outsourcing in other departments, particularly since the union noticed that certain work that used to be carried out in Malta was now being outsourced to India.

The union said it believed that even if employees were redeployed internally, outsourcing to other countries had an effect on Malta’s economy.

The union said its objections had fallen on deaf ears since the bank made an agreement with a union that collectively represented the affected category of employees.

It added the bank should ensure better policies regarding work that could be carried out internally by employees who have years of experience. The union said it would take all necessary measures to ensure that the rights and security of affected employees were protected.