Support in difficult times
Tara (not her real name) worked for Lloyds Banking Group for almost 13 years, and during that time, she turned to local Accord officer, Krisna Lakhani, on a number of occasions for guidance and support.
Said Tara: “I had to call upon Krisna’s assistance a few times whilst I was off sick with an auto immune disease. He was extremely helpful and highly knowledgeable, especially when I was due to return to work.
Krisna represented me during formal and informal meetings with the business in regards to health and performance; making sure I knew my rights and felt supported. Without his assistance, I wouldn’t have had the confidence to return to work or push for a phased return that best suited me.
Following Krisna’s attendance, I felt a genuine shift in how I was treated at work. He was there when I needed a friendly voice reminding me that sometimes my perception of some of the actions on my plans weren’t accurate. Krisna was extremely knowledgeable about all of the policies and demonstrated that in meetings when either my manager or I weren’t agreeing.
"Without my Accord membership and Krisna’s help and guidance, I honestly wouldn’t have been able to get through the tough times I endured at work."
Redundancy support
More recently, Tara turned to Krisna for support with redundancy.
“Krisna helped me during my redundancy meeting and was a listening ear when I felt stressed and upset. He always gave me sound advice and helped me gain perspective and re-focus my efforts in looking for alternative jobs.
It might sound strange, but Krisna was more like a friend to me, rather than just my union officer. He was always up-front and honest, making the whole redundancy process so much easier than it would have been without him by my side.
Without my Accord membership and Krisna’s help and guidance, I honestly wouldn’t have been able to get through the tough times I endured at work.
I want to say a big thank you to Accord – especially to my fabulous officer Krisna.”
Since leaving the Group, Tara has remained a member of Accord through associate membership.
Associate membership
Leaving your employer doesn't mean you have to leave your union.
Did you know that you're entitled to be a member of the union of your choice, no matter who your employer is? If there’s a union at your new workplace, we recommend you join them for the simple reason they'll be involved in negotiating your terms and conditions of employment. But if there isn’t, then we’re well placed to look after your individual needs. Stay with us as an associate member.
Retiring or leaving on redundancy? You may not need the union for employment matters anymore, but you can retain your membership and make use of our benefits like our travel club, legal advice and will writing services. You can also remain in our monthly lottery draw to be in with the chance of winning £5k every month!
Associate membership is offered at a reduced monthly rate.
More on associate membershipShare your story
Your stories are powerful. We want as many people to hear yours, so others can benefit too. So, if you have a positive story to tell that would encourage others to join Accord, we’d love to hear from you. If you’d like to remain anonymous, that’s fine.
Send us an email: [email protected] and we’ll share your story for you.
