Unite News

Unite, Britain's biggest union, has expressed fury over HSBC's decision to cut jobs and said that it has not ruled out balloting its members for industrial action.

• UK
• HSBC
• Unite

HSBC said that 1,149 roles will cut, with changes reflecting the changing nature of customer behaviour and regulation.

The bank said that a total of 3,166 employees will be impacted by the changes but hopes that through the creation of 2,017 new roles that it is expected that the majority of these roles will be filled by displaced employees.

• UK
• HSBC
• Unite

Better serving our customers, particularly for their wealth management needs, is essential if we are to fulfil our aspiration of becoming the world's leading international bank. These proposals, together with the recent removal of all sales targets for our employees and the complete decoupling of incentives from those sales, mean our customers can expect us to fully focus on serving their needs and do the right thing. Evolving and improving our culture will take time but the changes announced today are another step in the right direction.

• UK
• HSBC
• Unite

Unite has called the decision to cut 2,000 jobs at HSBC, "a disgrace" and accused the bank of cutting the jobs "in the search for ever greater profits."

HSBC is making staff suffer in the search for ever greater profits. The bank's behaviour is a disgrace. After making proposals to slash pensions, holidays and sick pay the bank is now slashing even more jobs. Staff are at the end of their tether and we will be asking them in due course if they are prepared to take part in a strike ballot to oppose this unprecedented attack by this very profitable bank.

The cuts HSBC is making will affect the whole business and will mean fewer personal advisors serving more customers and small and medium size businesses getting less support when they should be getting more. These cuts are about putting profits before people and will do nothing to improve service or the image of the banking industry.

• UK
• HSBC
• Unite

HSBC is to axe more than 2,000 jobs, the Unite union said, which warned of possible industrial action over the cuts.

• UK
• HSBC
• Unite

Ambulance drivers will go on strike today in a bitter row over cuts and union recognition.

Staff and paramedics will mount picket lines outside ambulance stations across the county.

Unite said its 450 members at the Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust will walk out for 24 hours after the failure to break the deadlock.

Members of other unions are not involved in the action and will be working normally to provide emergency cover and other services.

Unite said it was de-recognised after raising concerns about patient safety over plans to make savings of £46 million over the next five years.

The union said there were proposals to employ emergency care assistants, with only a few weeks training, alongside paramedics.

• UK
• Ambulance
• Strike

Ambulance workers are to stage a 24-hour strike in a long-running row over issues including cuts.

Unite said its 450 members in the Yorkshire service, including paramedics and other staff, will walk out on April 2 and ban overtime from March 26.

The union warned that further strikes could be held.

Unite said the Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust had ceased to recognised the union after it raised concerns about patient safety over plans to make £6 million of savings over the next five years.

Union members voted by 61% in favour of strikes and 83% for other forms of industrial action.

• Health
• Unions
• Unite

The union Unite has called on the Tory party to come clean about 'links' to payday loan companies after Wonga recruited a senior prime ministerial advisor on digital strategy.

The appointment of Jonathan Luff, David Cameron's former digital strategy chief, as head of Wonga's government affairs team follows previous allegations of close ties between prominent payday lending industry figures and the Tory party.

“This appointment raises further serious questions about the relationship between senior Tory party figures and the legal loan sharking industry," said Len McCluskey, Unite general secretary.

The Daily Telegraph claimed this month that Conservative ministers agreed to hold meetings with Wonga in exchange for payments to the party.

Earlier in October, Wonga agreed a four-year sponsorship deal with football club Newcastle United, prompting an angry reaction from local politicians who labelled the company "irresponsible".

• UK
• Wonga
• Unite

The union Unite is calling on ministers to follow the example of the Welsh Government which has pledged £2.4 million a year for up to four years for employers who give jobs to Remploy workers when the factories in Wales close:

We are expecting the vast majority of the workforce across the 54 factories to strike. They are rightly angry that they face a bleak future on the dole, as it is always more difficult for those with disabilities to obtain employment.

• Business
• Unite
• Employment

Unite General Secretary Len McCluskey has said Labour need to "get its act together" and prepare for a general election in 2014, a year earlier than the next poll in due.

The Labour Party would be sensible to prepare for an election. These are extraordinary times, none of us have been here before, no-one knows what is around the corner. Anything can happen, but I hope people don't forget the ineptitude of this government and the blame they are trying to put on workers for the economic crisis.

• UK
• Unite