GE Money
IBOA urges members to support weekend demonstration
Issued : 19 February 2009
IBOA General Secretary, Larry Broderick, has called on workers in the financial services sector to support the national demonstration organised by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions this Saturday, in Dublin, in protest against the Government's failure to adopt a strategic response to the current crisis built around the principles of fairness, economic renewal and job protection.
"While the final trigger for the protest has undoubtedly been the public service pension levy, it has been preceded by a litany of setbacks for workers in the private sector - including effective pay cuts, changes to pension arrangements and other terms and conditions of employment and, most importantly, redundancy.
"The frustration and anger among private sector workers should not be underestimated - as they have watched the country go from boom to bust in a matter of months. The only solution to the crisis offered so far by Government is a highly destructive programme of budgetary anorexia - which offers nothing more imaginative than cuts followed by more cuts. The Government is supposed to building a "smart economy": there is nothing smart about cutbacks. It is simply a matter of laziness of thought or intellectual bankruptcy or both.
"Many IBOA members have experienced this anger and frustration at first hand: bank staff seem to be regarded as fair game by some members of the public who should really know better. Our members do not enjoy lavish bonuses or astronomical salaries. They did not create this crisis - indeed they warned repeatedly against it. But now they find themselves in the firing line for abuse and vitriol from customers.
"Under health and safety legislation, employers are required to protect their employees from threats and abuse from any from third parties (including customers). We will be seeking to ensure that employers in the financial services sector discharge their responsibilities to their staff in an effective and thorough manner."
