Some details of the latest job cuts and outsourcing planned at Westpac have emerged through the Finance Sector Union.The union has this week also detailed outright jobs cuts at National Australia Bank, as well as outsourcing initiatives at Suncorp, confirming that a new cost-reduction trend has taken hold in the industry.The FSU yesterday publicised what it said was "a major restructure in Westpac's IT department" affecting 188 jobs. In an emailed response, Westpac said the changes were "part of the new sourcing arrangements we are transitioning to."Last week, in the course of an investor briefing on the bank's 2011 profit, management sketched out a "sourcing" initiative that aims to drive down unit costs from key IT suppliers, with payments being tied more closely to outcomes rather than services provided.Key suppliers involved in this program (and who already work with the bank) are IBM, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro.Westpac confirmed yesterday that it briefed staff earlier this week and had told them that "around 188 roles in scope" were affected.The FSU said the affected staff mainly worked for the bank in Sydney and Adelaide, while the bank said they mostly worked in Sydney.The union also put a time-frame of 18 months to Westpac's "best sourcing" program.Use of that term may be fluid. One report on the job cuts yesterday, by technology news service IT News, said that the bank's internal communications referred to the replacement of its "applications best-sourcing program" with a "supplier-focused applications services transformation program".And, last week, NAB announced "a major restructure in business banking", according to the union. This "will incorporate a 'spill and fill', forcing 515 staff to reapply for a role at the bank, while 135 jobs are disappearing from the network."At Suncorp, the FSU, publicising decisions relayed by management, said 50 staff working on claims payments in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne will see their work shifted to offshore suppliers.Claims assessment work relating to single vehicle accidents will also be sent offshore.