Up to 1700 staff at Barclays' Build Services and ISS Applications Support divisions in Poole, Bexley Heath and Radbroke could be affected by the move. The bank is currently negotiating with labour union Unifi on the terms and conditions for any transfer of jobs and the job security/redundancy implications of work going to India after transfer.

Under the proposed six year contract, Accenture is committed to eliminating contractor numbers in the first wave of transfers. The consultancy has further agreed that there will be no compulsory redundancies as a result of work moving offshore for the initial contract term and that voluntary redundancy and early retirement will be used to manage job losses alongside redeployment throughout the Accenture organisation.

Unifi is currently seeking assurances about pay and bonuses and pensions arrangements.

In a statement, Unifi says: "Companies such as Barclays should not export jobs elsewhere without full job security and/or job growth in the UK based company. We are working with Barclays and Accenture on our globalisation policies towards achieving these objectives. The Barclays Group HR framework talks on globalisation go a long way towards this, especially on no compulsory redundancies with the principle of volunteers and redeployment – key aspects of this framework should translate into the Accenture transfer."

The UK's biggest insurer Aviva recently announced plans to shift some 2500 jobs to India in 2003. Staff threatened by the move have organised a protest carol singing session outside the firm's City headquarters tomorrow.