However, what’s worrying staff in Ariel House is the fact that from being sent home with Covid related symptoms to being told that the member of staff had tested positive for the virus took the best part of three days. Staff were only told that he had tested positive in an email on Thursday afternoon last week. Only then did TSB institute its cleaning protocols. Whilst the delay in notifying staff of a positive test is not entirely TSB’s fault, it does create a heightened sense of anxiety for staff who are expected to carry on working normally. TSB should implement its own contact tracing of employees who come into contact with infected members of staff who have tested positive. How many other members of staff in Ariel House have been told to self-isolate because they worked with, or came into contact with, the member of staff? None, according to members working in the building. TSB needs to be more proactive in track and tracing potentially infected employees. Public Health England/Scotland/Wales and Northern Ireland can do their bit but TSB also needs to take ownership of the issue.
We are also aware that many members in Ariel House have serious concerns about social distancing measures not being strictly adhered to in certain parts of the building. In many cases this is related to the fact that there are just too many people in the building at once.
Staff have been told that if there is one more incident of infection in Ariel House, staff will be sent home and the building closed for a deep clean. TSB should be doing that now.
Members with any comments or issues, they would like us to deal with should contact the Union’s Advice Team on 01234 716029 (choose Option 1).
TSB Respond To Bad Press
TSB’s pilot to close its over-the-counter branch services at 2pm was mauled in the press last weekend. It’s part of the bank’s strategy to move from transactions to interactions and is linked with decision to get rid of LBBs.
Turning away customers at 3pm for services they could access at 1pm is a recipe for disaster. It also puts members of staff in the position of having to tell customers they can’t transact on their own accounts when they can see that the branch is open. We are concerned that the safety of members could be severely compromised by such a policy. And let’s be clear, there are lots of customers who don’t want to use alternative digital channels.
We understand that Carol Anderson, Director of Branch Banking, is now back tracking following the press reaction and the union’s campaign. Mrs. Anderson is now saying it’s not the bank’s policy to turn customers away from counters after 2pm. That’s not what branches involved in the pilot were told.
We will monitoring this pilot very closely and would like to hear from members who have had to deal with disgruntled customers. Members can contact us at 24hours@tbuonline.co.uk.