STAFF at a Newport call centre are set to stage a protest this week over fears their jobs could be transferred to India.
The Lloyds TSB Group Union has organised a campaign to oppose the call centre closure programme adopted by bosses at the company.
As previously reported, fears are growing among workers that the Lloyds TSB call and service centre in Tredegar Park, Newport, could close with the loss of 1,865 jobs.
Other call centres in Bridgend, Swansea and Cardiff have also been threatened with the axe, according to union representatives.
At the end of September 2003, Lloyds TSB announced plans to outsource 1,500 jobs to India by the end of 2004, after which it will make a further decision on how many more jobs will follow.
Staff will be collecting signatures for a petition outside the two Lloyds TSBs on Commercial Street, Newport, between 10.30am and 3pm this Thursday.
Later that evening, staff will be protesting outside the Welsh Call Centre Awards at the Cardiff International Arena.
Steve Tatlow, assistant general secretary at Lloyds TSB Group Union, said: "The petitioning outside Lloyds TSB branches forms an important part of the union's campaign to collect the signatures of over 500,000 Lloyds TSB customers opposed to their accounts being managed from abroad."
He added: "We are campaigning outside the Welsh Call Centre Awards ceremony to draw attention to Lloyds TSB's plans to transfer work to India, which could have a massive effect on call centre jobs and the Welsh economy."
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