Barclays Employees and Union Resist New Return-to-Office Policy
Barclays employees in the UK are resisting a new return-to-office policy that would require them to work from the office three days per week, with senior leaders required four days. The workers' union Unite has gathered thousands of signatures on an open letter opposing the change and calling for it to be reversed. Unite is advocating for exemptions based on long commutes or caregiving responsibilities and requesting a one-time payment by March 2027 to offset increased costs from the policy shift. The bank, which announced its plan in July, has stated that it continues discussions with Unite but so far refuses to meet all of their demands. The UK government is also considering new legislation aimed at making flexible work arrangements more accessible for employees by requiring employers to provide justifiable reasons when denying remote work requests.
Topics: banking industry employee resistance return-to-office union activity