Union calls on UK Border Agency to investigate Lloyds' use of Indian IT contractors

Lloyds Banking Group Union (LTU) is calling on the UK's Border Authorities to investigate the bank's use of Indian IT contractors on homegrown projects.

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Union calls on UK Border Agency to investigate Lloyds' use of Indian IT contractors

Editorial

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The LTU says that 1300 Indian contractors have been flown to the UK to do the work of IT staff and claims that "many of those have been moving from project to project and have worked for the group for many months, if not years".

The LTU has been trying to drum up support for its campaign to end the alleged practice for some months. The bank refutes the allegations and claims that the numbers of Indian staff flown to the UK are relatively small in number.

The issue has attracted renewed momentum following the recent announcement by the state-backed lender that it is to cut 5000 staff from the payroll, with IT bearing the brunt of the lay-offs.

The LTU claims that "at least one MP has received a letter from the UK Border Agency regarding the groups's policy of replacing existing UK based IT-staff by non-European Economic Area (EEA) nationals".

The union says the Chief Executive of the Border Agency has said that the concerns raised by the MP are being investigated by the UK Border Control's Intelligence and Sponsor Management Units.

Mark Brown, LTU assistant general secretary, says: "The basis on which Indian staff are being employed and flown to the UK is something we are investigating; to ensure that there are no breaches of existing border controls".

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Comments: (1)

A Finextra member 

Lloyds seemed to have decided that having previously employed the cowboys, its time to try the indians.

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