Former RBS FX trader joins list of ex-bankers suing over dismissals

16 Sep, 2015

LONDON: A former Royal Bank of Scotland foreign exchange trader is suing the state-backed bank over his dismissal last year, adding to a growing list of fired traders who claim they were treated unfairly.

Ian Drysdale - a senior FX trader who was suspended from RBS in February 2014 and later dismissed, according to sources - has filed a claim at a London employment tribunal against RBS for unfair dismissal and breach of contract.

The Central London Employment Tribunal said in a filing the hearing is scheduled to start on Sept. 28 and run for three days.

Drysdale joins other foreign exchange and Libor traders to file claims against former employers.

Banks fired dozens of staff in the wake of an investigation by US and British authorities into alleged market manipulation, when seven banks were fined a combined $10 billion.

RBS declined to comment.

The hearing of former Citigroup FX trader Perry Stimpson began at a London employment tribunal last week and is due to end on Thursday.

Stimpson claims he was unfairly dismissed, saying the sharing of client information was widespread and condoned by senior management at the time.

RBS, which is 73 percent owned by the British government, has paid $1.3 billion to US and British authorities for failing to stop its traders rigging currency markets.

At the time of that settlement in May, RBS said it had dismissed three employees and suspended another two in relation to the FX scandal, and was continuing to review the conduct of current and former employees in its FX business.

RBS did not name the employees in question.

Copyright Reuters, 2015

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