Staff are not to blame for TSB’s IT meltdown.
The responsibility for that debacle rests with the BEC. The fact that they are not getting the Recognition Award is of little comfort to staff. Why any of them have still got jobs is beyond us? One would hope that the new Chief Executive Officer, Debbie Crosby, quickly gets to grip with the business and gets rid of the deadwood when she starts her new job next year.
Many staff will no doubt be asking if Accord’s unwillingness to fight for staff is a form of payback for the fact that they get so much financial support from TSB. If Accord doesn’t rock the boat, then TSB will carry on giving them seconded staff and other support. On the basis of the evidence, that’s the only conclusion one can reach from this sorry episode.
The Truth About The Accord/Bank Recognition Award
Some of the unedited comments we have received from members are set out below:
“I think it’s disgraceful with what we have to deal with this year. I think we should be having this award as well as our normal 12.5% bonus. Why do TSB think it’s OK to pay off Paul Pester with £1.2 million and think it’s OK to give the staff that have had to deal with all the mess a slap in the face. Completely not fair, I don’t feel like we are appreciated at all”.
“Myself and most of my colleagues in my branch think it’s an insult, and as you say that payment is before tax. If anyone saved the bank from going under it was the frontline!!!”
Just to say it is a slap in the face tbh after tax and pro rata patent for staff in December, and lack of reward especially when the pressure is on branch staff to now sell, sell, sell!!! Being told to follow the values and help out customers then being told you aren’t doing your job because it’s all about loans or mortgages if you haven’t booked and provided 1 mortgage referral. Bank want to know what you have been doing when you are helping customers. Always being told that you haven’t sold any products yet when you reply, “I have helped and loaded 3 overdrafts and a credit card, opened a few monthly savers and a couple classic plus” you’re told “well that’s not lending!!!” The future of the TSB is in the hands of the frontline staff and if we don’t produce throughout 2019 we will be managed to an off track rating for 2020.
Sorry for the rant thanks for all your hard work but the TSB just don’t care. Let’s see the results of the staff survey and watch them brush that under the carpet”.
“We nearly lost our sanity since April and we only get £1500 before tax!!!!! A disgrace….”.
“I am extremely disappointed in level of recognition award offered by TSB for our hard work. We worked extremely hard on daily basis, hundreds of extra hours, huge impact on family life and our metal health, angry customer venting their anger at us. No one in our branch is happy with this insulting award. It is simple a joke. TSB allow Paul Pester to leave without any consequences with huge pay off. They should wait for the report and then sack him without giving him a penny. The same approach should adopted for the rest of BEC who created this migration disaster. I can’t explain how angry I am with TSB. We saved this bank from disaster and how we are being awarded? £1500 should be apology for the mess they created. Where is our TSB award? The wasted £250 millions and you can’t see end of this mess. It will take years before we recover. Even when they fix all the holes in this system it is still rubbish which doesn’t deliver. The second issue is recent announcement by Rachel Lock (who is abandoning TSB ship) regarding removal of ratings. For the last 11 months I was simply lied to about this. Bank said ratings will come at the end of the year and I was told on regular basis to support bank/help them and I will be recognised with on track +/pioneering rating. Lies!!! Misleading information!!! False promises!!! Different rules for BEC, different rules for us!!! Amateurs!!! . This is what TSB stand for.”
Totally disgusting, front line staff have dealt with the brunt of this fiasco & it’s far from over but they get their bonus taken away whilst the real culprits get a big fat pay off. Something not quite right there & TSB bangs on about staff wellbeing. It’s a joke. No wonder people are going on the sick at the drop of a hat”.
The Next Steps
TBU will be writing to MPs to let them know how staff have been treated following the IT meltdown and how that compares with the treatment of Mr. Paul Pester, the architect of the biggest IT meltdown in UK corporate history. The BEC honoured his salary and bonus payments but staff have been fobbed off with a measly payment of £1,500, which after tax and taking into account the fact that its pro-rated is worth what Mr. Pester has received in compensation per hour. (£1.7 million / 365 days / 7 hours per day = £665 ) Is it any wonder that the general public holds banks in such low regard when they can treat their staff with such contempt?
Members can let us know how they feel by contacting us at 24hours@tbuonline.co.uk.