More than 200 posts have been cut within Lloyds’ Scottish operations as part of a wider restructure that will see 940 jobs lost across the UK.
The move is the third such announcement by the bank which is 41% owned by the taxpayer in the past few days, and takes the overall number of redundancies and job transfers to more than 1,300.
Lloyds said that 135 jobs would be lost in Scotland as a result of the latest decision, with a further 70 staff involved in cleaning and cash-handling roles being moved under TUPE regulations to posts outwith the bank with Mitie and G4S.
The bank could not provide a further regional breakdown of where the posts would be axed in Scotland. However, it is unlikely that Tayside and Fife will escape unscathed.
The move led to anger among the unions yesterday, with Unite expressing fury at the situation and Accord stating concern that almost 200 posts were being moved offshore to India.
National officer Dominic Hook said Unite opposed the cuts and would work to ensure that no compulsory redundancies were made.
He said: “Since 2009, Lloyds have slashed a quarter of the workforce.
“It is a complete disgrace that the bank, which is 41%-owned by the taxpayer, continues to cut jobs in such a cavalier manner.”
Accord general secretary Ged Nichols said it was likely that thousands more jobs would be shed within the group this year.
“This is a bleak start to the year for hard-working employees, and is bad news for the UK economy,” Mr Nichols said.
“We expect LBG to cut another 5,000 jobs in 2013.
“The impact on the staff morale of this axe hanging over them is awful.
“At some stage LBG is going to have to focus on re-engaging staff in the interests of its customers and the economy instead of continually bleeding jobs.”
In a statement yesterday, Lloyds said compulsory redundancy would be a last resort but could not be ruled out.
“Lloyds Banking Group is announcing 940 role reductions within the group operations, insurance, retail, wealth and international and commercial divisions,” the statement said.
“These form part of the reductions previously announced in the group’s strategic review.
“Lloyds Banking Group is committed to working through these changes with employees in a careful and sensitive way.
“All affected employees have been briefed by their line manager today.
“The group’s recognised unions, Accord, Unite and LTU, were consulted prior to this announcement and will continue to be consulted.
“The group’s policy is always to use natural turnover and to redeploy people wherever possible to retain their expertise and knowledge within the group.
“Where it is necessary for employees to leave the company, it will look to achieve this by offering voluntary redundancy.
“Compulsory redundancies will always be a last resort.
“In fact, during 2009 and 2010, slightly less than 50% of the role reductions made as part of integration have led to people leaving the group through redundancy.”
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