top of page

Unite launches campaign for a Liverpool office! ✊🏻✊🏿✊🏼✊🏽✊🏾📣

2 days ago4 min read

Updated: 5 hours ago





Closing the Liverpool, Speke office - A big MISTAKE!


LBGs decision to close the only LBG contact centre in Liverpool, Merseyside has been met with worker outrage.


Loyal LBG workers found out about the closure by email on the 15th Jan with an expectation to just carry-on serving customers, like nothing had happened. What ensued was an atmosphere of dismay, anger and abandonment as workers were left in limbo worrying about how this decision would massively disrupt their personal plans and commitments, childcare arrangements, household costs, travel costs, family life and how for some it would not be feasible to travel to Chester, that disabilities and personal circumstances seemed to have been disregarded and a lack of any guarantee even for those that work from home that remote working will be permanent; with many resigning themselves to the view that they will need to leave the Group later this year - workers were going through all of this without any meaningful support from the business - which is shocking!


Where was the time off the phones to help workers digest the news and allow them to ask questions? Where was senior LBG management to support workers? Where was the Banks new People's Forum? 


Here’s what Liverpool workers had to say:-


"I am really upset regarding the announcement to close Speke. I am a parent and work term hours 4 days a week. I work 9 till 2.30 and the school doesn't open until 8am therefore I wouldn't make it to Chester for 9am start and wouldn't make it home for 3.15 when the school finishes. The school doesn't have an after-school club for childcare. I can't work from home as I have ADHD and have to keep work and home life separate due to my traits and ensure I maintain good mental health. I have a staff mortgage and a lot invested in shares which am saving for my retirement as I am part time due to childcare responsibilities therefore only get a reduced pension. I think that Lloyds should definitely open a hub in the Liverpool region to ensure colleagues with parental or caring responsibilities can keep our working patterns which are beneficial to our work life balance."


"I have no room to work from home, I love socialising with colleagues they’re like good friends and it gives me so much motivation to come to work. Working from home will make me mentally unwell and being so far away from my mum who’s disabled and relies on me isn’t suitable. Why would I want to spend 6 hours 40 minutes traveling each week that’s £110 in pay terms. Getting to work in the Liverpool area is so much easier and gives me a better work / life balance. Chester would consume so much of my free time. It’s not been well thought out and we are the minority and LBG don't care. They think about their savings, but what about saving colleagues' mental health."


"My heads a mess, I doubt I’ll have a job in 6 months. I don’t know what I’m going to do."


"I’m full time and my shifts are 10:30-6:30, by time I come home I wouldn’t see the baby as he would be in bed, plus he’s not too well. It’s so depressing, it’s making me hate the job!"


"I really hope they get a Liverpool hub. Chester is so far away, it’s mad they think people are gonna be able to make new arrangements just like that."


"It’s actually appalling when you think that they didn’t tell us in team brief, or on site. I know it’s easier email but it’s so bad that."


"Getting a pass to use public transport. Is £1600 for the year with Merseytravel but that doesn't cover Chester. I don't know what pass would cover Chester." 


"It’ll take too long. Especially during rush hour to get to Chester and coming back from Chester by car. Let alone public transport."


"25 mins of walking, 2 trains and a bus. It takes 1hr 38 mins, providing nothing is late causing you to miss the next step."


"I work late shifts, how am I going to get home from Chester at 11pm at night when the trains aren't running? And even if I manage to get home it will be past midnight and i will literally be getting into bed to do it all over again the next day - I can't do it!"


"I've seen colleagues being put on Performance Improvement Plans in the past who have had their right to work remotely revoked, I'm really worried that even though I work from home now if anything were to happen that impacted my performance I'd be made to travel to Chester every day and it just wouldn't be possible for me."


Next steps and how you can help us WIN! 


Your Unite team were on site for the announcement on the 15th Jan to support Liverpool workers and we held two-member engagement sessions right into the evening to support members and discuss next steps together. 


The ask from members was clear - the decision to close the Liverpool office is a massive mistake and LBG should retain an alternative office in Liverpool if the Speke site is no longer sustainable! 



Unite is a member led union and we are ready to fight against this decision but we need all your support to get LBG to think again. Please sign the petition below, calling on LBG to open an alternative Liverpool office and pass it on to fellow workers who use the Liverpool, Speke office! We need to send a strong, united message to LBG that we do not accept this decision and that we ALL demand they open a viable Liverpool office for Liverpool based workers in order to safeguard jobs and aspiration in the city! 



Not a member? Then join today - www.uniteinlbg.org/join 



In solidarity 


Your Unite in LBG team 


PLEASE FORWARD ONTO A FELLOW WORKER WHO WORKS IN OR IS ALIGNED TO THE LIVERPOOL, SPEKE OFFICE

JOIN UNITE THE UNION - WWW.UNITETHEUNION.ORG/JOIN
JOIN UNITE THE UNION - WWW.UNITETHEUNION.ORG/JOIN

Log into My Unite to update your contact details - https://myunite.unitetheunion.org/login


Or email member.servicesnw@unitetheunion.org along with your Unite membership number and details that need updating.


In solidarity


Your Unite in LBG team

Comments

Post: Blog2_Post
bottom of page