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divdiv class=story-body readability=29 span class=story-date#13; span class=date14 November 2013/span#13;span class=time-textLast updated at /spanspan class=time13:05 ET/span#13; #13;/span#13;#13; #13;#13;#13; #13; #13; #13; p class=introduction id=story_continues_1Barclays is to cut 1,700 jobs from across its branch network in the UK, the bank has announced./p#13; pThe cuts come as it scales back the number of branches across the country./p#13; pBarclays said in a statement that the way people accessed banking services was changing rapidly, with more using smart phones and other technology./p#13; pThe bank has launched a voluntary redundancy scheme and said staff would be fully consulted and have access to the support... they require./p#13; pBarclays has 1,577 branches employing 33,600 staff./p#13; pThe Unite union, which represents some bank staff, said customer service could suffer as result of the cuts and said Barclays was making a colossal mistake ./p#13; span class=cross-head'Service'/span#13; pThe jobs going are equivalent to one staff member per branch, Barclays said, and will involve a host of frontline roles including cashiers, personal bankers, operational specialists, and branch and assistant managers./p#13; pThey will be rolled out through 2014. /p#13; pUnite's national officer, Dominic Hook, said: These employees deliver high levels of service that customers of the bank benefit from. /p#13; pSuch a massive reduction will be very detrimental to the bank and will also be hugely challenging for the staff remaining./p#13; pThe union said it would have urgent discussions with Barclays in an attempt to put forward alternative proposals./p#13; pUnite said it had already successfully argued with Barclays for training grants for staff leaving Barclays, and compensation for those who volunteer to reduce working hours./p#13; pLast week it was announced that around 600 jobs would be lost as a result of the closure of centres at Coventry and Dartford./p#13; pEarlier this month Barclays said it would close four branches and move staff and banking services to nearby Asda stores./p#13; /div/divbrbrcentera href=http://www.wizardrss.comPowered By WizardRSS.com/a | a href=http://www.wizardrss.comFull Text RSS Feed/a | a href=http://www.amazon.com/RFID-Blocking-Cards-Identity-Protector/dp/B00CJHZLEWRFID/a | a href=http://www.wpzonbuilder.comAmazon Affiliate/a/center