Pendeford to Close in 2025
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LBG has today announced the closure of the Pendeford, West Midlands office which will take place at the end of 2025. LBG workers working in Pendeford and X+Why will move over to the newly refurbished Colmore Row office in the centre of Birmingham during Q4 2025. The Colmore Row office is 21 mile away from the Pendeford office.
Unite know that today’s announcement will cause shock, sadness and concern for LBG workers. We also know that changes to bank locations no matter how big or small can have an impact on worker commutes, personal commitments outside of work and also raise anxieties over personal safety. The recent announcement to close Newport in South Wales and transfer Cardiff based workers to Newport in the interim and changes in platform locations is testament to how business led change can cause a lot of inconvenience for hard working staff.
Your Unite team pressed during consultation talks with the bank that they must do everything possible to mitigate any adverse impact to LBG workers based in Pendeford. We pushed for the bank to arrange for discounted car parking within the vicinity of Colmore Row given the lack of parking facilities in comparison to Pendeford. Whilst we support sustainable initiatives in both premises and in colleague offers/routines, this should never be at LBG worker expense and in addition to discounted car parking we pushed for all additional costs to be covered by the bank in light of this move and the inevitable disruption it will cause workers. Unite are currently lobbying the bank for the below treatment to be implemented for all current and future site changes/closures.
We are asking LBG workers to get in touch to outline the personal inconvenience this change will cause them. Please complete the survey below so we can project your voice to LBG leadership and together we can fight for more support - www.uniteinlbg.org/pendefordsurvey
Please also provide your views on the current travel and mobility policy, details outlined on the back of this newsletter and the Unite Get Me Home Safely campaign, link and QR code below. The bank have arranged for travel consultants to be available at the Pendeford office to assist LBG workers with identifying cost and time effective ways to get to Colmore Row, Birmingham.
All additional travel costs incurred by colleagues to be covered by LBG
Shuttle bus to be provided to mitigate colleague travel costs
Discounted parking
Travel costs to be covered in perpetuity for all impacted LBG workers
LBG TRAVEL & MOBILITY POLICY
LBG workers will have seen or will have been impacted by the Group’s change agenda in 2023. The most significant being the changes to Platforms and the requirement for roles to be based from ‘strategic location’. Inevitably placing a greater burden on workers to get to these locations, whether that be in travel time or cost.
During the consultation on the changes to Platforms, we secured a commitment from the Group to discuss the existing T&M policy, so that our concerns about the asks being placed on workers can be taken into account and ensure the policy is adequate in light of continue business change.
The travel and mobility policy is in place to address changes in the normal work location for LBG workers. The key principles of Travel Allowance within the policy are outlined below and the full policy can be found on Life@LBG, A-Z and Travel & Mobility Policy. Key aspects of the policy:
Travel Cost Allowances payable where a LBG worker incurs additional travel costs as a result of moving work/office location at the request of LBG and the required journey increases by at least 30 mins or ten miles each way
Travel Cost Allowance is payable for a max of 12 months from the date of original transfer, or for the duration of the temporary transfer in work location (whichever is lower)
Payment is on the basis of the actual additional out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the worker in travelling to the new work location
Help us shape the debate on policy change!
Ahead of these talks with the Group, we want to hear from YOU on the current travel and mobility policy. We want to know what you think should be changed/removed to make it fit for purpose and provide the necessary support to help YOU and fellow LBG workers when facing business led change. Change is a team sport, get involved and let us know your views, thoughts and ideas. Help us shape the debate on policy change!