27 May 2005

HSBC staff take strike action over pay

Amicus trade union expects widespread disruption across HSBC services as thousands of staff take part in a 24-hour strike over pay.

More than 10,000 Amicus members across HSBC branches, payment processing centres and the bank's IT services are expected to take part in the strike which begans at midnight and it has been reported that support for the strike is growing by the hour.

Amicus will have dozens of demonstrators outside HSBC's AGM today to highlight the national strike and they will be giving packets of peanuts to shareholders to illustrate the bank's derisory pay deal.

Union members voted to strike in rejection of a pay deal which will result in 10% of staff receiving zero pay rise and a further 45% of staff with a below inflation increase. HSBC's pay structure has seen many staff not receiving any pay increase for up to ten years.

Amicus' Head of Finance, Dave Fleming, said: “Thousands of HSBC staff will be striking tomorrow to protest against the derisory pay offer that is being imposed on them that will see many of them receive no pay increase at all and many more a below inflation pay inflation pay rise. This is despite the fact that HSBC announced a record breaking £9.6 billion profit in February.”

HSBC customers from across the country sent a resounding message of support to all its staff.

In a poll conducted by Amicus at the end of April, 95% of customers said that HSBC should receive a cost of living increase.

(CD/SP)