Mobil outsources 140 jobs

Up to 140 Mobil staff and contractors are to lose their jobs following a decision to move customer service centre jobs overseas.

Staff at two Wellington based customer service centres were told on Wednesday that many of their jobs are being relocated to Bangkok next year.

Mobil wants to redeploy some of the staff within the company, but the majority of the 140 jobs - mainly support roles relating to the managing, ordering and delivery of products - are to go overseas by mid 2007.

Mobil manager Cameron Bower said a competitive redundancy package had been put together. An offer to help staff with career advice and support had been made and staff had been kept informed about the proposals.

Mr Bower said: "We have been in New Zealand for 110 years and are investing tens of millions of dollars locally to improve our businesses, as well as reviewing new investment opportunities.

"The changes are designed to help our core focus and lubricant marking businesses to be more competitive in the future."

Last month Air NZ announced nearly 100 staff in its finance department could be axed if a proposal to reduce and outsource positions, mainly to Fiji, went ahead.