Union reacts to Lloyds layoffs

Lloyds Banking Group said Thursday it would cut 985 staff positions, provoking a swift reaction from the Unite workers’ union.

Unite union officer Rob MacGregor said the announcement was the first test for the newly-formed Lloyds Banking Group to demonstrate its commitment to avoid compulsory redundancies, The Scotsman reported.

For the 985 people in LBG to learn that they are to lose their jobs will cause uncertainty for staff across the company. Unite the union is calling for LBG to ensure that the integration program concentrates on saving jobs and preventing redundancies, he said.

Unite was also pressing Lloyds to ensure it would consult with the union before moving ahead with the cuts, MacGregor said. He called for creative cost cutting measures that included re-deployment and re-training to find jobs for positions deemed redundant.