Advice

TBU’s Advice Team are all experienced trade union officials, but with a unique understanding of the issues TSB staff face. Most worked for the Bank before leaving to join the Union. They know the problems members face on a daily basis and the difficulties people can encounter in making their voices heard in a large organisation. They’re there to advise you on any matter that could affect your work and they will be sympathetic and understanding, whatever your problem.

Like all TBU Officials, the Advice Team are employed and paid by the Union. We don’t employ officials seconded from the Bank because we believe our members want to work with representatives who have no conflicts of interest, can’t be pressurised and whose only priority is assisting them.

Among the issues the Advice Team deal with frequently are:

• Job Security
• Changes in working hours
• Employment rights
• Mobility
• Overtime
• Sales pressures
• Voluntary early retirement and redundancy
• Performance Appraisal / Performance Management
• Performance Improvement Policy issues

Representation

As a TSB employee you have a statutory legal right to be accompanied at all formal meetings with the Bank, including grievance and disciplinary hearings. TBU advisers are able to represent you at these meetings, so you have professional advice on hand and are supported every inch of the way. If necessary,TBU will represent you at any Employment Tribunal that may result.

And when faced with a disciplinary charge everyone needs an advocate. People who think they can represent themselves in an area as complex as employment law really are asking for trouble when the Bank employs an army of HR professionals backed up by a legal team. And the idea of getting advice from a lawyer, who won’t be able to represent them anyway, at about £250 to £400 per hour, is a bit fanciful.

Last year across the Union we supported over 2,500 members in cases of all different types and everyone was represented by an Official employed and paid by our members not by the employers with whom they’re supposed to be negotiating.

If your job’s on the line you need to know you’re going to be represented by professionals and it would be an unequal fight without someone on your side with the expertise to look after you and, just as important, the independence and willingness to fight your corner.

Terms and Conditions

Professional representation on employment issues can be complex, demanding and very expensive so we ask members to work closely with us to help ensure successful outcomes to their cases.

For that reason representation is subject to terms and conditions governing the basis on which we will provide representation and our obligations and the obligations of members in terms of disclosure of facts, confidentiality, responding to communications etc.

Legal Action

The rules and law governing legal action in employment matters and in particular Employment Tribunal claims, is complex and some cases have no reasonable prospect of success, even with a determined legal challenge.

However, in other cases legal action is the only realistic option to get a fair outcome for members and in those cases we will advise them to pursue legal claims.

Before we advise members to pursue any legal action and are prepared to support cases, we analyse those cases very carefully to ensure they have reasonable prospects of success and will not leave members at risk of costs orders against them, ordering them to pay their employers’ legal costs. The Union therefore reserves the right not to support claims at the Employment Tribunal or any other court where we believe claims lack sufficient merit.

Members who may want our support must therefore not launch any form of legal action without prior consultation with us and before receiving our written agreement to support their cases. If they do we will decline any support. Where we agree to support a claim we will carry out all necessary work.

Injuries at Work

Most of us think banking offers a safe working environment compared to many other industries, but injuries occur regularly.

Where this is as a result of Bank negligence, TBU will issue legal proceedings on behalf of the member not just to win compensation for the injuries sustained but equally importantly to ensure that action is taken to remove the possibility of another member of staff sustaining the same injury.

If you’re involved in an accident at work, however trivial it may seem at the time, should contact TBU as soon as possible. You will be asked to complete a comprehensive questionnaire concerning the injury to help TBU and our lawyers make a decision on whether legal action is justified.

Once a case is underway all costs are met by TBU and members receive regular updates and advice at each stage of the process. For help phone TBU’s Advice Team on 01234 716029 or email 24hours@tbuonline.co.uk.

For help phone TBU’s Advice Team on 01234 716029 or email 24hours@tbuonline.co.uk.