HSBC to cut 750 jobs in Southend

[Southminster_Shrimper]

Whatever happened to a duty of care to your employees? All went wrong when HSBC took over Midland Bank imho, the old bosses at Midland were far more likely to have some consideration for you, and in walked HSBC and there was an enormous waive of redundancies right from the off.

Have the unions expressed any opinion on this? I mean, I just don't see why Birmingham.

I would imagine its because the lease is up in just the right timescales in Southend and there is a much longer lease on the Birmingham office plus it might be able to accomodate extra staff (I presume it already exists). Less offices, less costs to the company. Thats all they care about these days.

Similar building consolidation has happened in other banks, its perhaps just not so obvious to the outside world ;)

Not seen the banking union have any clout whatsoever in anything like this so not sure it will count for much even if they do have an opinion.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

So is it just the HSBC credit card operations laying people off then?

 

[Jam_Man]

Both myself & my fiancee work for HSBC Credit Cards operation in Southend.

Arrived for work on Tuesday only to be ushered over to the Odeon with 300 of our colleagues.
We were then 'treated' to a 20 minute presentation from our (deservedly) much maligned newly appointed (Birmingham based) Senior manager.

He advised that the lease has 2 years remaining on the Chartwell House & will not be renewed, the 1st wave of redundacies will be in May 10, then every 6 months until end of 2011.

There are roles available at Birmingham, which I should mention HSBC are already recruiting for OUTSIDE of the bank - so no guarantees there.
He stressed these will only be offered to suitable candidates with the required skills & no retraining will be offered in the interim should you not possess the abilities required.

The bank is making continued healthy profits & did not need to make this decision but has decided to press ahead in the interests of strategy & streamlining the business.

I have worked my nuts off for 12 years & do not fancy a move to Brum (I do NOT want to sound like Noddy Holder) nor work from Canary Wharf.

After a subsequent 1-1 with my line manager, he advised I will be expected to train up my Brum-based replacement in due course.

I will remain professional & continue my role to the very best of my ability, but I seriously feel like telling my boss to do one..

Its a crappy situation and I sympathise, but these things have a habit of working out ok so hope it goes ok.

I worked for CE Heaths in Vic Avenue and same happened to us, herded over to Civic Centre and told that was it and most of the 500 people would be made redundant.

At no point after that did anyone speak to me within the company, no one knew what was going on and management were too busy trying to save their own asses, so I just thought sod them and got another job.

Since then Ive had jobs that I enjoyed 10 times what I did at Heaths and get paid far more to do so.

One door closes and another opens and fingers crossed most of the people affected will land on their feet.