Published: Thursday, 14th January, 2010 6:00pm
Jobs go at RBS
by Alan Bunce
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ROYAL Bank of Scotland is to close its offices at Arlington Business Park at Theale with the loss of 141 jobs.
The bank's 300 staff at Theale were told the news today (Thursday). The jobs will go from the bank's retail operations division which is closing. Those who are not losing their jobs will be transferred to offices at Farnborough and at Abbey Gardens in Reading.
The move is part of 9,000 job cuts announced worldwide by the bank last April. Half of those will be in the UK.
A statement from the company said: "In 2009, we announced that we would be cutting 4,500 roles in the UK over the next two years in our business services division and that we would work through a process with staff at all affected locations as we determined the local impact of this.
"Today's consultations with staff are an ongoing part of the process. As a result of our relocation from the centre in Theale, 141 roles in our UK Operations business will be made surplus. It is our firm intention to do everything we can to support staff and to ensure that that they are given every opportunity to consider opportunities for redeployment and to avoid compulsory redundancy."
Spokeswoman Linda Harper said a break in the lease of the building at the end of 2010 made this year a suitable time to take the decision over Theale.
Staff say they have been told the offices will be closed by September.
The worldwide job losses are part of RBS's strategy to reduce annual costs by £2.5bn within the next three years.
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Guest
Jan 16 10 10:01
Our Ref: 7678
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Unfortunately another blow for women trying to fit in work around childcare and another for the local economy. Reducing 141 from the customer contact centre in Theale and more jobs going at other 'call centres', threatens customer service at NatWest. Having promised they would not place UK jobs abroad they have quietly, under the Government's 'ownership' and 'nose', moved UK jobs abroad to India. Everyone has been told that to 'publish' any 'comments'risks dismissal under their gross misconduct policies. So don't expect any leaks, other than anonimous ones, as the Bank may look to reduce the redundancy 'costs' through early dismissals. They have afterall, till September to do so.
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