INSURER AVIVA has refused to clarify reports that as many as 1,000 jobs could be lost in its Irish operation, the trade union Unite has said.

The union, which represents about 1,200 of the 2,000 workers employed by the company here, said Aviva’s conduct was unsatisfactory and that it had provided no information whatsoever as to what workers should expect.

The British insurer is said to be drawing up a major restructuring plan after last month admitting it was considering various options to ensure it had a sustainable and competitive business given the difficult trading circumstances here.

Following a meeting with Aviva management in Dublin yesterday, Unite regional officer Brian Gallagher said the union expected it would now have to wait three to five weeks for an definitive outcome.

“We met with the chief executive [Dermot Browne] and spent an hour and a half trying to impress on him the seriousness of the situation,” Mr Gallagher said.

“He, for his part, believes that the actions they are taking behind the scenes are designed to ensure the maximum number of jobs are maintained in Ireland.”

Mr Gallagher said the company had denied it was leaking information about possible job losses.

In a statement last night, Aviva acknowledged that speculation about its future in Ireland was difficult for employees but stressed that its review was “the right thing for our business”.

“We want to minimise the impact on our employees and to do that we need to give ourselves the time to fully complete it,” the insurer said. “We’ve always enjoyed a constructive working relationship with employee representatives and remain open to continued dialogue as we fully recognise their important role during this time.”