IBOA in Ulster Bank strike threat
Issued : 9 October 2009
Irish Examiner Online
The Irish Bank Officials Association (IBOA) has today threatened industrial action against Ulster Bank following the collapse of negotiations chaired by independent mediator Kieran Mulvey.
The IBOA claims that Ulster Bank is proposing to impose unilateral changes to existing contracts of employment covering pay, pensions and profit share without the union's agreement.
IBOA general secretary Larry Broderick said today that the bank's actions are totally unacceptable.
"Not only have the bank's actions placed the mediator, Kieran Mulvey, in an impossible position, they have also called into question the bank's integrity and its commitment to honouring agreements with staff and customers," he said.
"During our discussions with the bank so far this year, its senior management had been claiming total inability to pay for 2009. But now it has found the money to fund lump-sum payments to effectively buy out key elements of staff's existing contracts of employment and replace them with far inferior terms.
"The Bank's actions are extremely disconcerting for staff who feel betrayed by a senior management team - which, even after receiving staff co-operation in agreeing over 1,000 redundancies this year, has still refused to give a commitment on future job security beyond the end of this year.
"Under all these circumstances it is inevitable that our members are beginning to seriously question the strength of RBS's commitment to Ireland.
"IBOA is prepared to continue the previously agreed process of negotiation under Kieran Mulvey.
"But we have also made it clear that, if the bank proceeds with this attempt to impose a non-negotiated settlement, then we intend to respond forcefully and to seek support from our colleagues in the wider trade union movement.
"Should it prove necessary to take industrial action, I want to reassure the public that any action our members take will be designed to try to minimise any inconvenience to customers - whom our members have always done their best to support - while at the same time maximising disruption of the bank's operations."
