End RBS branch closures call

Unite Scotland held RBS branch protests today (February 23) as the bank announced top line profits before tax of ÂŁ2.2bn even amid a mass branch closure programme.

Even after tax, set aside for litigation and other costs, bottom line profits were ÂŁ752m. This is the first in the black result for the bank in a decade.

Unite branded RBS pledges this week to focus on “rebuilding trust” and “supporting our customers” as “shameless PR spin” in the face of the continued closure programme.

“We think RBS has to do its sums again on its closure programme,” said Unite Scotland deputy Scottish secretary Mary Alexander.

“We need the actual figures they have used to decide where the axe is to fall on branches,” she said. “They’ve said closing 62 branches – 10 have a stay of execution at present – will cost ÂŁ9.5m. That’s a drop in the ocean on the real operating profits they are now making. How can they justify taking the wrecking ball to communities all over Scotland?”

Earlier this week the bank was castigated for it culture of ‘disgraceful behaviour’ promoted by its Global Restructuring Group (GRG) which crippled countless business customers with “high interest rates” and “made up fees”.  RBS accepted the Treasury Committee findings and announced “our focus is now on rebuilding trust and supporting our customers”.

“This shameless PR spin is astonishing when compared to what RBS are doing in reality,” Alexander commented. “Rebuilding trust? Supporting our customers? Who do they think will believe them when they are closing branches all over Scotland?”

Unite Scotland has established that whilst RBS delivers relentless spin about caring for its customers they are ruthlessly proceeding with the closure programme – RBS staff now have targets to switch 50 customers on to digital banking every week.

“This is the bank that likes to say one thing and do another,” Alexander added. “They are sparing no effort to create a self- fulfilling prophesy.”