Lloyds To Cut Another 645 Jobs

Unite the union is demanding guarantees of no compulsory redundancies following the announcement by Lloyds Banking Group that it planned to cut a further 645 jobs and close its Warrington telephone banking centre.

Over 2,400 jobs have gone at the taxpayer bailed out bank since the start of the year leading to plummeting staff morale. Of the 645 job losses half will result from the Warrington site's closure by the end of 2014, in a move Unite branded as 'unjustified' and a 'bad deal' for customers. The majority of the remainder will be cut from the group’s wealth business and HR function.

The news comes as a further blow to staff at the Warrington centre, many of whom have faced the uncertainty of redundancy and redeployment in recent years following the closure of sites in Manchester and Chester.

Unite national officer Rob MacGregor said: "This is the third tranche of job losses since the beginning of the year and is in danger of sending staff morale to an all time low.

"The closure of the Warrington centre will hit the local economy and risks damaging customer service.

"Lloyds staff have worked hard since it was bailed out by the taxpayer to make the bank a success. Their reward has been continual uncertainty and attacks on their pensions."

(CD)