More HSBC strikes warning from union

Banking giant HSBC was warned tonight it could face fresh strikes by its staff in a bitter row over pay following a 24-hour walkout.

Union officials clashed with the company over the impact of today’s stoppage, with HSBC strenuously denying claims that a number of branches and a major processing centre had been closed.

The bank said 1,471 of its employees had gone on strike, just 2.7% of its workforce, and maintained that all its 1,500 branches as well as processing centres and other sites, had remained open.

But Amicus said around 3,000 of its members had supported the industrial action and claimed that a processing centre in Birmingham as well as branches in Liverpool, Preston, Grantham and parts of Scotland had been closed.

National officer Rob O’Neill said the union will consider its next move but warned that more strikes could be called hinting that the next one could be longer than one day.

Mr O’Neill joined dozens of union activists who lobbied shareholders as they arrived for the bank’s annual meeting in London today.

The union handed out packets of peanuts, symbolising the “poor” pay increase many workers had received this year.

The union claimed 10% of staff will receive no pay rise and a further 45% will get below-inflation increases.

HSBC chairman Sir John Bond told the meeting that the strike was “deeply regrettable” but warned it could potentially damage the business.

Sir John told the meeting that almost two thirds of clerical staff were on better-than-market salaries and said the bank had decided to channel pay rises to those on lower salaries.

“Only 1% of our staff received no pay rise and no bonus and most of them because of unsatisfactory performance.”

One shareholder criticised Sir John’s pay package which rose to £3.6m last year from £2.1m the year before.

The shareholder said Sir John was now “winning the Lottery at the weekend as well as during the week”.

Sir John defended his pay rise saying the bank had taken into account its 37% rise in annual profits to £9.18bn last year.

Union leaders also rowed with the bank after the company said it had modified its pay offer saying it could lead to higher rises for staff, cash payments every December for three years and implementing next year’s pay rise a month earlier than planned.

Amicus said the offer was linked to customer service levels which were already very high.

Mr O’Neill said: “The workers will consider this to be an insult because senior management do not appreciate the high level of customer service already provided.”

A number of HSBC executives visited branches today to thank staff who worked and pointing out that the bank was making record payments of £164m in salary and bonus awards to its staff.

The strike was the biggest in eight years against a leading High St bank.