Key Issues
EU unions' No to EU stability treaty
Issued on January 30, 2012
UNI Europa, the European regional organisation of the UNI global trade union federation, has described the EU fiscal stability treaty as "anti-social, anti-democratic and anti-European." Trade unions are mobilising across Europe to stop governments from cementing in neo-liberal austerity policies for years to come.
"With this Treaty, EU governments drive the European model against the wall - and in the process they drive over workers and citizens," said Oliver Roethig, UNI Europa Regional Secretary, at the ETUC Steering Committee.
"We as trade unions and citizens need to stop this. Sinking the Treaty is our first priority! As trade unions we will mobilise at all levels."
The European trade unions are organising a Day of Action on 29 February across Europe.
RBS chief's bonus is totally unacceptable
Issued on January 27, 2012
The announcement that RBS Chief Executive Stephen Hester is to receive an annual bonus payment currently worth almost �1 million on top of a basic salary of �1.2 million is adding insult to injury as far as staff in its Irish subsidiary, Ulster Bank is concerned.
"Just two weeks after the Bank announced plans to make 950 staff redundant in Ireland, we now learn that the board of RBS - which is 82% owned by the British State - has sanctioned this excessively generous bonus payment to Stephen Hester," declared Larry Broderick, General Secretary of IBOA The Finance Union.
IBOA urges Bank to revisit job cuts plan
Issued on January 13, 2012
Members of the IBOA Ulster Bank Executive Committee with General Secretary, Larry Broderick, at the Ulster Bank headquarters in George's Quay (Photo: Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland).
IBOA The Finance Union has called on Ulster Bank's senior management to revisit its plan for the restructure of the institution. The Union has urged management to adopt a new approach in order to preserve the maximum number of jobs in the Bank.
Following the meeting today between Ulster Bank's senior management team, led by Chief Executive, Jim Brown, and IBOA's Ulster Bank Executive Committee - led by General Secretary, Larry Broderick - the Union leader said that while IBOA acknowledged that the Bank continued to face major difficulties arising from the impaired loans authorised by senior management during the property boom, the Union could not accept that the solution proposed by management was in the long-term interests of the Bank or its customers and staff.
Anglo calls off Labour Court hearing
Issued on December 08, 2011
The decision by senior management at the IBRC (formerly Anglo and Irish Nationwide) to abandon a previous agreement to refer the terms of a proposed redundancy deal to the Labour Court is a cause of serious concern, according to IBOA The Finance Union.
Union General Secretary, Larry Broderick, said the refusal of a wholly State-owned institution to co-operate with the State's industrial relations machinery will set a very dangerous precedent. "I recall in the not-so-distant past Government Ministers taking private sector employers to task for refusing to allow the Labour Court or the Labour Relations Commission to mediate on various industrial relations issues.
The Usual Suspects
Issued on November 22, 2011
See the video inspired by the IBOA poster!
Workplace Stress
Issued on November 18, 2011
IBOA is a key player in the ICTU Taskforce on Work-related Stress. This anonymous on-line survey will help us get a picture about how workplaces are affecting workers stress levels. The survey takes just over five minutes.
Compliments of the Season
Issued on November 16, 2011
Compliments of the Season
Career Briefings
Issued on October 07, 2011
Following the interest shown in Eleanor Murphy's article in the August edition of IBOA's Spectrum magazine (page 21), titled 'Eight Simple Steps to a new Career Direction', Career Development Services is proposing to hold a nationwide series of free career briefings, in association with IBOA.
The purpose of these career briefings is to help members facing an uncertain future. During the briefing, they will receive advice on how to find renewed career direction - by considering guidelines on the options available to enhance their work skills; and by exploring the next steps to be taken towards a securer future.
Workers deserve better from Europe
Issued on September 29, 2011
Union - Vision - Action
UNI Europa - which represents millions of service workers throughout Europe - is holding its third Delegate Conference in Toulouse at a pivotal moment: as the interests of European workers are coming under fire during the current economic crisis. UNI Europa's 330 member trade unions (including IBOA The Finance Union) - which, together represent over 7 million members - are facing intense pressure from employers and governments to lower working conditions and pay.
Cap in hand
Issued on September 15, 2011
Senior bankers are as far away as ever from recognising the need for a new beginning in Irish banking, said IBOA General Secretary, Larry Broderick. The Finance Union leader was responding to comments by AIB Executive Chairman, David Hodgkinson, that an annual salary in excess of the €500,000 limit imposed by Government might be required to attract a suitable candidate for the vacant Chief Executive's post.
"While AIB employees still wait for detailed information on Mr. Hodgkinson's earlier announcement that over 2,000 redundancies are to be implemented in the Bank, the Executive Chairman is engaged in special pleading with the Oireachtas Finance Committee about the need for additional rewards for the Bank's senior management.
