Amex staff to lose their jobs (From The Argus)
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Amex staff to lose their jobs
9:20am Sunday 10th February 2013 in News By Kimberly Middleton, Acting chief reporter
Scores of American Express employees have been told their jobs are moving abroad.
A total of 200 staff in Brighton are expected to lose their jobs under plans to “migrate and realign” some of their jobs.
It is understood back office roles, such as administration, finance, human resources, marketing and servicing, are going to be moved abroad.
In January the company announced that 5,400 jobs were being cut internationally but would not say if it would affect Brighton, where 3,400 of the firm’s 63,500 workforce are based.
On Thursday evening emails were sent to staff explaining the company plans.
One employee, who asked not to be named, said: “It seems clear that they want to make a frontline base in Brighton but there will be no back office any more.”
Another said: “We heard about 200 people might be affected, but nothing is certain.
“All the back office jobs are being moved to Argentina and India.”
An official announcement about how many jobs are being lost in Brighton is not expected before May 1.
Doug Smith, the vice-president of public affairs and communications at American Express, said: “No final decisions have been made in relation to these proposals until we have completed the appropriate consultation process.
“Over the coming weeks we will continue to provide ongoing support and counselling to those employees who are impacted by these proposals
“As a company American Express remains committed to Brighton. “We have recently opened our new centre at 1 John Street and continue to play an active role in the local community through our volunteering programmes and sponsorships, which include the American Express Community Stadium.”
Comments(23)
censored
says...
9:49am Sun 10 Feb 13
That's modern multinational capitalism for you.
Hector66
says...
10:44am Sun 10 Feb 13
"staff who have been IMPACTED"
instead of thrown aside after years of service
Maxwell's Ghost
says...
10:49am Sun 10 Feb 13
Well we've reached new heights of **** for telling people their jobs are being given to people in poor countries as its cheaper.
olebut
says...
11:25am Sun 10 Feb 13
Tallywhacker
says...
11:30am Sun 10 Feb 13
006 and a third
says...
11:32am Sun 10 Feb 13
Doing it this way probably means they don't have to offer staff relocation and can later populate a warehouse in the East Midlands and pay different staff half as much?
hammerfan
says...
11:41am Sun 10 Feb 13
AMEX agreed to stay in Brighton as long as they were allowed to build their new office. There will be further job cuts with posts being relocated abroad to take advantage of cheap labour. I fully expect these offices ultimately to be sold. I have worked in offices and factories for most of my working life. First it was manufacturing now it is admin jobs that are going abroad. The financial sector won a court case in which they kept the right to fine customers who went overdrawn. The banks claimed they needed this to provide free banking. Customers should make it clear that they will only bank with U.K. based companies. There are many building societies which are British based- switch to them!
Fight_Back
says...
11:52am Sun 10 Feb 13
virtuoso
says...
12:49pm Sun 10 Feb 13
Also, this an American company serving a Global customer base. So these aren't naturally British jobs anyway. Mostly, I would expect, Amex in Brighton is serving customers abroad to whom we are the foreign call-centre.
People should be more grateful that Amex is in Brighton at all and the Greens should be careful not to rub them up the wrong way for no good reason.
Somethingsarejustwrong
says...
2:39pm Sun 10 Feb 13
Does anyone who has posted have an Amex card?
VegasSeagull
says...
3:10pm Sun 10 Feb 13
When looking at what American Express are doing, or maybe planning to do, I think it's slightly different. When the company first opened up in Edward Street, american jobs were lost, they were out sourced to the UK, but I guess that was ok for those getting the jobs.
Today things have changed world wide and now it appears that jobs will leave the UK and go somewhere else, but that is not ok for those losing their jobs, double standards?
Tailgaters Anonymous
says...
3:32pm Sun 10 Feb 13
Seem to remember the Argies play in a light-blue strip.
getThisCoalitionOut
says...
5:45pm Sun 10 Feb 13
I won't do business or give money to companies who do this - so Amex will find a lot of their cardholders will close their accounts as a lot of British people feel the same way as I do and Amex deals with British cardholders and none anywhere else in the world.
Amex used to stand for quality and good customer service but obviously thats gone out of the window now, shame.
Hove Actually
says...
6:01pm Sun 10 Feb 13
hello this is charlie I understand you have an Alpha Mother Echo Xray card
No and AMEX card
That is what I am saying
No it's not......
How can I help you Mr Amex?
Can you tell me the number for VISA?
Jetsamandflotsam
says...
8:28pm Sun 10 Feb 13
hammerfan wrote:Amex agreed to stay in Brighton as long as were allowed to build their new office AND Hanover remained a free car park for its employees!
When a company announces it is staying put it means they have considered relocating.
AMEX agreed to stay in Brighton as long as they were allowed to build their new office. There will be further job cuts with posts being relocated abroad to take advantage of cheap labour. I fully expect these offices ultimately to be sold. I have worked in offices and factories for most of my working life. First it was manufacturing now it is admin jobs that are going abroad. The financial sector won a court case in which they kept the right to fine customers who went overdrawn. The banks claimed they needed this to provide free banking. Customers should make it clear that they will only bank with U.K. based companies. There are many building societies which are British based- switch to them!
Plantpot
says...
7:35am Mon 11 Feb 13
chrisso
says...
12:21pm Mon 11 Feb 13
Plantpot wrote:I doubt they'd give you a card anyhow.
I will have nothing to do with Amex since their involvement with the stadium.
Grendel
says...
4:29pm Mon 11 Feb 13
Plantpot wrote:boo hoo
I will have nothing to do with Amex since their involvement with the stadium.
Gordonmuppet
says...
7:07pm Mon 11 Feb 13
SomethingsarejustwroRipped mine up 5 years because the rate was too high and an annual fee level was impossed---as a company like many others will will not accept Amex..
ng wrote:
Only one question from me and no direct point to make... Does anyone who has posted have an Amex card?
American --no thanks
El Duderino
says...
12:49am Tue 12 Feb 13
virtuoso wrote:They 'move back office roles' to Argentina every 4 years without fail, no surprises here. Was the same when I started there in 2005, and again in 2009.
I like the new Amex office building. It's high quality. Also, this an American company serving a Global customer base. So these aren't naturally British jobs anyway. Mostly, I would expect, Amex in Brighton is serving customers abroad to whom we are the foreign call-centre. People should be more grateful that Amex is in Brighton at all and the Greens should be careful not to rub them up the wrong way for no good reason.
I was very grateful for the opportunity to work in a fairly good job there, but anyone below Band 35 is just considered 'Human Capital' to the SVP's - they say they are the biggest employer in Brighton, though it is more like the largest employer of corporate backslapping yes-men and european customer service reps who can barely speak English.
Blue01
says...
11:19am Tue 12 Feb 13
The John Street offices were built without enough space to house the full head count which says a lot although the official explanation is that people work compressed hours and hot-desk.
Before you ask, yes, I do have a card
Crystal Ball
says...
2:30pm Tue 12 Feb 13
Morpheus says...
9:27am Sun 10 Feb 13