Union "astounded" and "alarmed" as Lloyds to cut 410 more jobs

Unite the union has said it is “astounded” by the move and “alarmed” at the group’s strategy, which has so far seen over 15,000 employees lose their jobs.

The latest job cuts in Brighton will see 410 telephony jobs lost when it closes on 28 May next year.

In November alone Lloyds cut 570 jobs at its life, pensions and investments administration centre in Aylesbury and 220 jobs at its collections & recoveries business in Hove.

In addition 240 IT jobs could go as Equitable Life has decided to end its contract with Lloyds and opted for an Indian IT firm called HCL instead. Lloyds has 340 workers working on its Equitable Life contract but HCL has said only 100 are likely to be retained.

Lloyds Banking Group, which is 43 per cent owned by the government, has struggled since the January takeover of HBOS, which was ridden with toxic debt and on the verge of collapse at the height of the financial crisis last year.

Rob MacGregor, Unite national officer, said, “Unite the union is astounded that Lloyds Banking Group has today decided to cut 410 customer contact jobs. This announcement will effectively mean the closure of a significant office in the Brighton region. The result of this plan is that in just three weeks 580 Lloyds employees have lost their jobs in this small geographical region of Brighton.

"Unite is alarmed about the consequence of this strategy by the Lloyds Banking Group, there have been in excess of 15,000 job losses announced since the formation of this organisation.”