LONDON, Might 18 (Reuters) – Britain’s largest home financial institution Lloyds (LLOY.L) faces a spat with some workers after launching a evaluation of working situations that might make it tougher for workers with caring obligations to work flexibly.
Representatives from worker union Unite informed the financial institution’s annual normal assembly in Glasgow on Thursday that hundreds of workers had signed a collective grievance opposing a pilot scheme to evaluate how the financial institution provided versatile working.
Lloyds’ trial might end in adjustments to compressed hours preparations that allow workers juggling care for youngsters or aged kin to work flexibly.
Unite delegates informed the occasion the pilot was a “direct assault on working dad and mom and carers” and that it could value some workers a number of hundreds of kilos to satisfy caring commitments.
The conflict between Lloyds workers and its administration is one instance of the rising tensions between main monetary employers and their workforces as organisations try and revert to pre-pandemic working patterns.
Wall Road big JPMorgan has, as an illustration, final month confronted widespread inside criticism from workers over CEO Jamie Dimon’s push for workers to return to places of work.
One other UK worker union, Accord, has additionally challenged Lloyds on its expectation that workers work from the workplace not less than two days every week.
Lloyds chairman Robin Budenberg informed the investor occasion that the financial institution needed to make sure versatile working was truthful for everybody. “No selections have been taken,” he added.
Staff with compressed hours preparations usually work full-time hours over fewer days, Unite stated, affording them the chance to take care of household on non-working days.
Unite stated hundreds of employees in some enterprise areas could possibly be affected if the pilot scheme was rolled out completely, branding the initiative as a “backwards step”.
Some union members protested towards the pilot scheme exterior the venue in Glasgow, photos posted on social media confirmed.
A spokesperson for Lloyds stated the financial institution remained “a robust advocate of versatile working” and was dedicated to offering a supportive and rewarding place to work.
Reporting By Sinead Cruise and Iain Withers, enhancing by Barbara Lewis
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