Barclays Staff Fury At "Unpaid" Overtime

Barclays is facing growing unrest from staff who claim they are being forced to do unpaid overtime. Unite says they have been flooded with complaints from workers who feel shortchanged by the bank which made £3billion in the first half of this year. Much of the anger stems from the alleged failure of managers to honour an agreement for time off in lieu.

This can be given in place of overtime pay. But workers say it is impossible to take the time because they're short staffed.

Unite National Secretary Keith Brookes said the problem was being made worse as staff were having to cover for colleagues on summer holiday. "Members are facing growing pressure to cover vacant positions, which leads to the need for overtime. But members tell us managers are increasingly refusing to pay overtime as the bank looks to save money. This is happening despite it being quite clear that people can't take the time off offered instead because the branch is too short-staffed."

Mr Brookes says the union has raised the issue with the bank at the highest level. But while senior management "talk a good game" the issue is festering in the branches.

Staff are supposed to be paid overtime if they work more than 20 minutes over their hours. Time off can be taken as an alternative to cash if agreed between worker and boss. But the agreement says it should only be offered if it can be taken within a "reasonable" time, generally a month. If that's impossible staff should be paid instead.

It is the latest in a series of disputes which have angered Barclays' staff. There were demonstrations outside the shareholders' meeting last week over plans to shut the finalsalary pension fund.

And the bank faced a furious backlash after admitting it had agreed to guarantee some top traders' bonuses regardless of their performance.