Below is the copy of a letter sent by the Professional Contractors Group (PCG) to Abbey PLC in response to the high street bank’s decision to import thousands of IT specialists from outside the EU.
20 May 2004
Mr Luqman Arnold
Chief Executive
Abbey PLC
2 Triton Square
Regent’s Place
London NW1 3AN
Dear Mr Arnold
I was appalled to read of your decision to add to the import of thousands of IT specialists from the Indian sub continent, without any apparent efforts made to recruit from the UK and our EU partners.
It is difficult to believethat a responsible organisation such as the Abbey could be completely unaware of the fact that IT was removed from the Government’s own skills shortage list almost two years ago. Evidence from a range of sources, including that which we submitted to the Trade & Industry Select Committee earlier this year indicates that a large number of IT specialists are unemployed. Outsourcing and abuse of the work permit system to bring lower paid people into the UK is compounding the problem.
I would be grateful if, on behalf of the thousands of PCG members who are currently out of contract, you would be kind enough to answer the following questions -
* What efforts have you used to try and fill the vacancies from UK/EU sources?
* Are you planning to bring in 600 people under the ICT scheme?
* How much will you be paying your imported staff?
PCG has long been aware of the practice of irresponsible, profit driven companies who arehappy to exploit foreign workers, paying them less than half the UK rate while actively destroying the home-grown specialist work force. With the new EU accession countries now part of a highly skilled, motivatedand mobile workforce adding to the numbers we already know exist, it is hard to believe that Abbey cannot recruit IT specialists closer to home.
You will be aware of the consumer pressure that is being brought to bear on companies who insist on outsourcing call centres and the like. You will also be aware of work and campaigns by Amicus, UNIFI and other trade unions to shed light on practices that can at best be seen as straight profiteering.
Frankly, I and the majority of PCG members would have expected better from a respected institution like Abbey - despite your poor results.
I look forward to your earliest response and because this issue is of the utmost gravity, I have released it to the press because we believe that Abbey customers should be aware of the questions raised by your decision.
Yours sincerely
Ian Durrant
External Affairs Director
Professional Contractors Group Ltd
PCG protests about Abbeys IT plans
Copy of a letter sent by the Professional Contractors Group (PCG) to Abbey PLC in response to the high street bank’s decision to import thousands of IT specialists from outside the EU.