Barclays cuts 350 more IT jobs

Barclays has announced fresh tech job cuts that could see up to 350 permanent IT posts axed.

Job losses will take place in the Global Retail and Commercial Banking (GRCB) Technology department this year, staff were told by email.

The email warns that up to 700 IT jobs could go, but Keith Brookes, national secretary for Barclays at union Unite, said about half of these were included in the 1,800 tech jobs that Barclays earmarked to be scrapped in 2008, under the Global Infrastructure and Service Delivery (GISD) reform programme. The bank also announced it would be axing 400 IT posts in January of this year.

Jobs are expected to go from Barclays centres at London, Northampton, Poole and Radbroke.

The losses are part of a shake-up of the GRCB Technology department, which is a new project that includes some of the changes outlined under the GISD programme last year, as well as some new changes.

Unite's Brookes said that the new GRCB Technology reform programme did include more of a commitment to keeping jobs at Radbroke.

"We are disappointed at the job losses in the middle of a recession and disappointed that Barclays is still offshoring, but are pleased at the extra security being offered at Radbroke," he said.

He said that the majority of workers who would be cut would effectively have at least six months before losing their jobs.

The email, sent out by Brookes and Barclays GRCB Technology executive committee, said of the changes: "Across GRCB Technology we have been progressing planned activities to ensure GRCB Technology is in the best position possible to successfully deliver our commitment to being the organisation that powers business growth at Barclays."

Barclays declined to further comment on the losses at this time.