Bank jobs slash betrayal

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) Unite members were dismayed to learn today (Friday December 1) that the tax-payer backed bank is to cut a quarter of its branches. Unite accused RBS of decimating its branch network and betraying communities.

The union says serious questions need to be asked about whether these closures mark the end of branch network banking. And just why is the government signing off this alarming branch closure programme?

The bank is slashing its branch network by closing a further 259 branches across the country – resulting in another 1,000 staff losing their jobs.

This latest announcement comes on top of previous branch closure announcements which led to over 500 branches being lost. Royal Bank of Scotland continues to be majority taxpayer supported, yet thousands of taxpayers are now being denied access to local banking.

“The Royal Bank of Scotland has decided to decimate its bank branch network,” said Rob MacGregor, Unite national officer.

He continued, “Now serious questions need to be asked about whether these closures mark the end of branch network banking. This announcement will forever change the face of banking in this country with over a thousand staff losing their jobs and hundreds of high streets without any banking facilities.

“The closure of another 259 branches is savage and represents a betrayal of loyal staff and customers who have supported the bank for decades. Why is the government signing off this alarming branch closure programme?” asked Macgregor.

“A decade of slashing jobs has done nothing to boost morale, increase consumer confidence or improve the bank’s performance. This British-taxpayer funded bank should be concentrating on investing in jobs here in the UK, rather than cutting them wholesale.”