Union urges Lloyds TSB to transfer offshored services to HBOS takeover staff

The trade union representing Lloyds TSB employees has demanded that the bank terminate its offshoring agreements in India following the HBOS takeover.

Lloyds TSB Group Union (LTU) said the bank should "repatriate" an estimated 3,000 jobs that have been sent to India and freeze any plans to transfer out more UK jobs like IT and back-office processing.

The union claims this could mitigate potential job losses, estimated between 20,000 and 40,000 by analysts, and save more than £1bn by 2011.

"If the new bank is to be so dominant in the UK, it is imperative that it commits itself to supporting UK customers only from the UK," said LTU assistant general secretary Steve Tatlow.

"Rather than making the jobs of existing staff redundant, the Lloyds TSB board should put an immediate halt to transferring jobs to India, and return jobs to the UK for those staff that it currently employs itself.

"By ditching its 'Jobs to India' strategy, the Lloyds TSB board would be shouting loud and clear that it is genuinely committed to the wellbeing of its customers, staff and the UK economy."

The union has described the bank's offshoring strategy as a betrayal of its commitment to corporate social responsibility.

Yesterday, trade union leaders met Scotland's first minister Alex Salmond in a bid to salvage thousands of jobs at Lloyds TSB and HBOS.