Lloyds TSB Group Union will use the bank's extraordinary general
meeting today to encourage shareholders to support the return of
4,000 jobs to the UK to cut the level of expected redundancies if
the bank merges with HBOS.
The union, which represents 40,000 workers at Lloyds TSB, will
use the meeting in Glasgow, which is in relation to the £12.2bn
takeover of HBOS, to lobby for shareholders to
abandon support for offshoring and bring back the jobs already
completed overseas.
Lloyds TSB has already offshored about 4,000 jobs and with the
integration of HBOS planned more are expected. The bank is in the
process of sending another 450 IT roles to India.
Steve Tatlow, assistant general secretary at Lloyds TSB Group
Union, said the bank's strategy to send jobs to India should be
abandoned.
"One simple measure to help avoid compulsory redundancies would
be to abandon the bank's 'Jobs to India' policy, returning to the
UK the thousands of well-paid jobs that have been offshored
already," he added.
The Glasgow meeting will see shareholders vote on whether to go
ahead with the
merger of Lloyds TSB and HBOS. For the go ahead to be given it
requires 51% to support it.
Lloyds TSB's takeover of HBOS will lead to massive cuts in the
technology infrastructure and IT workforce of both banks, as the
bank seeks to save £1.5bn from operational costs.
IT, call centres and back office work in the retail banking
division will bear the brunt of the cuts.