Almost 1,000 people work at the call centre

Lloyds TSB wants to close its Newcastle centre, where almost 1,000 people work, and transfer some of its services to India.

Finance union Unifi says the aim of the action is to protect the jobs by saving the centre.

The union is also seeking a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies and a joint programme to improve skills and employability of staff.

Unifi has given official notice to Lloyds TSB that it will start an industrial action ballot on 11 December.

'Workers betrayed'

The union's national officer Bernadette Fisher said: "Staff at the call centre are extremely angry .

"They feel betrayed that the company is only concerned with maximising profits.

"Unifi is confident that staff will vote for action as they are not prepared to go quietly and let the bank off the hook."

A spokeswoman for Lloyds TSB said the decision had been a difficult one to make and that any staff reductions would hope to be made through staff turnover and redeployment.

The call centre is due to close by the end of next year.

Unifi is also organising a petition of Lloyds TSB staff at all call centre sites around the UK calling for a five-year guarantee that no call centre will close.