UK bank Abbey expects just 25 staff to be able to move from its Scottish Provident business in Edinburgh to its site in Glasgow, according to a leaked document acquired by financial services union Amicus.
The bank announced on Wednesday it was shutting its Edinburgh site and moving 900 jobs to Glasgow. Staff will be offered a relocation package as well as the option of voluntary redundancy.
But Amicus claims the leaked 'Project Sapphire' document, which is dated 18th December 2003, says a 'significant majority' of staff affected live in and around Edinburgh, so the option of travelling to Glasgow won't be regarded as an equivalent job.
The document says: "It is not anticipated that many people will be prepared to move with the work to Glasgow. Based on Peoplesoft records there are 25 people who live West of Edinburgh e.g. Falkirk where a transfer to Glasgow may be regarded as equivalent."
Hugh Scullion, Amicus regional officer, says the document casts doubt over Abbey's motivation to move to Glasgow: "Their own document shows that since 18th of December they have known that Project Sapphire was not a relocation but in fact a sophisticated way of laying off hundreds of people."
Amicus says its wants assurance from Abbey that that these jobs will not "disappear out of Scotland to India".