Long-term job security call

Staff at Legal & General’s flagship site in Kingswood, Surrey, have moved closer to strike action in the New Year with the launch of a final industrial action ballot. This follows September’s consultative ballot which saw 63 per cent of members vote in support of taking strike action to defend 1,550 jobs.

 
The strike ballot will begin on Friday (December 11) and will last until Monday (January 4).
The dispute follows L&G’s decision to threaten up to 1,550 jobs by closing the Kingswood site in 2017, citing potential cost savings.

 
In September, 68 per cent of Unite members in Kingswood took part in a consultative ballot, with 63 per cent voting in support of taking industrial action.

 
In response, Legal & General postponed the closure of Kingswood until 2018 and offered some staff the option of relocation to sites in Hove, Cardiff, Wittam, London and Birmingham.

 
However, there has been no offer of either long-term job security for impacted staff or any willingness to discuss alternatives that could keep the Kingswood site open.

 
“Our members are not interested in a mere ‘stay of execution’,” said Unite regional officer Ian Methven. “They want Legal & General to seriously look at ways that the profitable Kingswood site can remain open and the 1,550 jobs can be saved.

 
“Kingswood remains a centre for hundreds of highly skilled pension specialists and financial experts, whose loss would have a clear impact on L&G’s ability to serve its customers,” he added. “Closing Kingswood is simply the wrong decision for staff and customers.

 
“As L&G are refusing to enter into serious negotiations, our members have been left with no option but to proceed with a final industrial ballot ahead of strike action.”

• Pic by Donna Smillie