Protests planned across Scotland against RBS closures
Unite Scotland will be holding RBS branch protests tomorrow as the bank is expected to announce operating profits running into billions.
The union has branded RBS pledges earlier this week to focus on "rebuilding trust" and "supporting our customers" as "shameless PR spin" in the face of the continued closure programme.
RBS’s annual results for 2017 will be posted at the Stock Exchange early tomorrow.
They are expected to show one of the highest operating profits of recent years, running into billions. Any losses returned will reflect ‘set asides’ for litigation costs and fines incurred by the bank for gross misconduct in the financial crisis.
Mary Alexander, United Scotland Deputy Scottish Secretary, said: "We think RBS has to do its sums again on its closure programme. We need the actual figures they have used to decide where the axe is to fall on branches.
"They’ve said closing 62 branches – 10 have a stay of execution at present - will cost £9.5m. That’s a drop in the ocean on the real operating profits they are now making.
"How can they justify taking the wrecking ball to communities all over Scotland?"
RBS is planning to shut its branches in Aviemore and Grantown in the late spring and early summer. Demonstrations are planned at seven branches although none in the strath.
In 2016 RBS’s operating profits were more than £3500m.
Earlier this week the bank was castigated for it culture of ‘disgraceful behaviour’ promoted by its Global Restructuring Group (GRG) which crippled countless business customers with "high interest rates" and "made up fees".
RBS accepted the Treasury Committee findings and announced "our focus is now on rebuilding trust and supporting our customers".
Ms Alexander said: "This shameless PR spin is astonishing when compared to what RBS are doing in reality. Rebuilding trust? Supporting our customers? Who do they think will believe them when they are closing branches all over Scotland?"
Badenoch and Strathspey MP Drew Hendry is urging RBS customers to keep up the pressure against branches being axed in Aviemore and Grantown.
The politician and Federation of Small Business representatives met with business owners and customers at two public meetings in the strath last week and organised petitions protesting against the shut-downs.
The meetings took place last Tuesday evening at Aviemore Community Centre and the following night at Grantown’s YMCA.
Mr Hendry told the Strathy: "It has been really good to sit down with the local business owners and residents who will be most affected by these closures.
"As one resident pointed out, RBS have just not done their homework. They have not taken into account that Aviemore is an expanding town with more housing and a brand-new retail park.
"Closing a branch here isn’t just a bad decision for local businesses, it is a bad decision for RBS’s own business."
Newtonmore based Federation of Small Businesses regional leader Amanda Frazer said: "This cashless society they’re on about just ain’t gonna happen in the strath for years.
"People need banks, not post offices where there is no privacy and the money can take three days to get into their accounts."
