Staff at Aviva will be briefed tomorrow on expected plans for significant job losses at the insurer's Irish operations.
Management has invited employees at its Dublin, Cork and Galway offices to what are being described as business updates from 8am tomorrow.
The insurer, which employs about 2,000 people in Ireland, over half of whom are located at its headquarters in Dublin, has been at the centre of speculation that it could shed up to 1,000 of its employees.
Sources close to the company last night said the number of jobs to be cut and outsourced by the company was expected to exceed 1,000.
After last month admitting it was considering various options to ensure it had a sustainable and competitive business in Ireland given the difficult trading circumstances here, the British company was said to be drawing up a major restructuring plan.
The Aviva board met today while representatives from Unite, the union which represents about 1,200 of the company's 2,000 workers were also invited to meet with human resources staff.
When leaving the meeting which concluded before 6pm yesterday, staff representatives were reluctant to talk to the media ahead of the staff briefings this morning.
There was strong speculation that 850 jobs could be cut with a further 300 outsourced. More than 100 new jobs could be created in the company's health division which is said to be performing well.
The insurer employs 1,200 people in Dublin, 200 in Cork and 200 in Galway with additional staff in branches around the country.
Earlier this month, Unite condemned the lack of communication by Aviva with staff over the possible job losses saying that it showed "an immense lack of respect for loyal staff that they should know more about their future job security through the media than direct from the company," according to Unite regional officer Brian Gallagher.
