THE lingering industrial dispute between organized labour and employers in the banking sector over recent mass sack of workers has taken a new twist as the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, has threatened to withdraw its over two billion naira fund in three major banks in the country over recent mass retrenchment of workers and alleged refusal to allow their workers to join union as guarantee in Nigeria’s constitution. The affected banks are Zenith Bank Plc, First Bank Holdings and Diamond. A source from the union said NUEE has close to two billion in First Bank Holdings, over N100 million in Diamond and over N500million in Zenith Bank Plc, besides salary accounts of its members and staff. FILE: MAY DAY —From left: President, Trade Union Congress, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama; Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji Mohammed Bello; Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige and factional President, Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, during the May Day Celebration in Abuja,yesterday.
It was gathered that other unions affiliated Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and TUC, will soon follow the same line to tackle the twin problems of ongoing retrenchment in the banking sector and perceived anti-union policy of some managements in the financial sector. NUEE in separate letters to the management of the affected banks, dated June 17, issued the banks two weeks ultimatum to revert alleged anti-workers’ policies to halt the withdrawal among other measures being planned by labour. A sample of the letter by the General Secretary of NUEE, Mr. Joe Ajaero read: “We write to express our displeasure over the unabated anti-workers stance of your bank which includes casualization, stifled unionization of workers, arbitrary sack of workers etc. Despite the concerted efforts made by our sister union- National Union of Banks, insurance and financial institutions employees, NUBIFIE, to make your management have a positive review of your stance, the situation is even becoming worse.
“As a responsible and one of the leading industrial unions in the country, we cannot be passive as your bank which houses our outstanding investment turned deaf ears to the genuine concern of NUBIFIE. We would not hesitate to ask employers in our sector to stop further payment of staff salaries through your bank if this situation remains unabated. It is therefore pertinent that your management put a stop to your anti-workers stance forthwith if you desire our continued business relationship with you. We hope you will give positive consideration to this not later than two weeks.
” Reacting to the threat, a senior management staff of First Bank Holdings who spoke on condition of anonymity, said neither First Bank Holdings nor First Bank Nigeria Limited, is involved in anti-labour policy, saying both organized are fully unionized. On retrenchment of workers, he insisted that “every action that affects the staff of both organizations including disengagement is decided and agreed upon by both management and in-house unions. That is NUBIFIE, and its Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions, ASSBIFI, counterpart.”
