Household HSBC Watch

17.08.2006 - UNI affiliate Amicus has expressed frustration at the discovery of a culture of unpaid overtime at branches across HSBC Bank. A survey by Amicus members in HSBC has found that many work an average of five extra hours per week.

Unpaid overtime is also a significant problem. Amicus Official, Bernadette Fisher said: “Inadequate staffing levels in the branches are causing a spiral downwards into despair and poor customer service. Our members are motivated by wanting to serve their customers, but the bank is pushing sales at the expense of service. Staff and managers are expected to just fill the resource gaps in the system and are taken for granted for doing so.

“To require that staff cover the work through working extra hours is immoral and must stop now. Our members should be paid for all the hours they do. Overtime budgets need to be increased until the time when staffing levels are adequate. HSBC is an incredibly wealthy organisation. Its customers have a right to proper service and our members have a right to a balance between work and the rest of their lives.”

The Amicus survey found that staff shortages and workload pressures mean that branch managers are expecting their staff to work above their contractual hours. Staffing problems in the branches have worsened in the last year. In response to the Amicus survey HSBC has agreed to work with Amicus on a series of focus groups to evaluate its new rostering tool.