Finance workers launch fight back in face of unprecedented numbers
of job losses
24 November 2009
In a year when workers in the financial services industry have
experienced unprecedented numbers of job losses, workplace
representatives from banks and insurance companies across the UK
will today (Tuesday 24th November) arrive in Brighton for the Unite
conference for the financial sector.
Despite tens of billions of pounds spent to rescue the senior
bankers from themselves, 50,000 jobs have been lost in the last 12
months. Activists from Unite the union will be urged to lead the
fight back against job losses and attacks on terms and conditions
of workers the financial services industry. The meeting will
challenge the government and the industry over the future direction
of banking and insurance in the UK.
Rob MacGregor, Unite national officer said: “Our finance workers
are key to economic recovery in the UK, yet the short-term approach
of the banking executives is to cut 50,000 jobs in order to bring
faster returns to their impatient shareholders.
“Today the country’s finance industry looks radically different
from where we were this time last year. Yet incredibly despite tens
of billions of pounds spent by the taxpayer to rescue the senior
bankers from themselves, very little in the industry has changed.
It is the front line staff who earn the lowest salaries who have
been made the sacrificial lambs in this crisis.
“The financial crisis caused by the greedy, incompetent and
corrupt City bankers has brought pain and misery to 50,000 finance
workers across the country, and many more face continued
uncertainty about their future job security.”
Unite members have experienced the biggest shake-up ever seen in
the finance sector following the massive financial bailout and the
forced break-up of Northern Rock, Lloyds and the Royal Bank of
Scotland Group.
The conference will debate the financial crisis, the attack on
pensions, hear calls for the establishment of a high pay commission
and also look to the future with a campaign to restore parts of the
private banking sector to the mutual movement.
Unite represents some 170,000 members in the financial services
industry.
- Ends –
For more information please contact: Saba Mozakka, Unite the
union on: 07768 693 953.
Email to a friend
Want to share this story? These sites allow you to tag and share links across the internet enabling you to share these links with friends and people with similar interests. You can also access your links from any computer you happen to be using.
