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Leaders of bank
workers unions have insisted on carrying out their planned picket of
banks on Tuesday, even though they have started negotiations with the
management of the affected banks towards a possible resolution of the
issue.

Sunday Salako, the
president of the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and
Financial Institutions, who confirmed that the leadership of the
affected banks (Oceanic, Intercontinental, and Unity banks) have begun
talks with the union, said the beginning of negotiations does not mean
the scheduled picketing has been called off.

“It is true that we
have started negotiations and we are trying to resolve the issue, but
that does not mean that we have called off the scheduled picketing.
Right now, we are discussing with the affected banks. What if we put
pen to paper and realise that we cannot reach a compromise? That we are
discussing definitely does not mean we have reached a conclusion” he
said in an interview yesterday.

Statements from the
affected banks over the weekend had stated that none of the banks would
be picketed and that customers should continue their normal banking
transactions as negotiations are going on between the banks and union
leaders.

Intercontinental
Bank, in a statement made available on Sunday, stated that “Given these
developments, the managements of the three banks have advised customers
to go about their businesses as none of the banks’ branches would be
picketed.”

John Aboh, the
Group Managing Director, Oceanic Bank Plc, in a statement issued by the
bank on Friday, also said there would be no picketing in any of the
bank branches.

“Oceanic Bank has
the highest regards for its workforce and has always involved relevant
Labour Unions in its activities. We are working closely with the
Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial
Institutions (ASSBIFI) to set the records straight. We want to reassure
our customers that there will be no picketing in any of our branches
and urge them to remain calm and go about their normal businesses with
the bank,” the statement read.

Seeking a solution

Investigations
reveal that the management of the three affected banks met with the
bank union on Friday with a view to resolving the planned industrial
action.

Last week, the two
unions in the banking sector – ASSBIFI and its junior staff
counterpart, National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial
Institutions Employee (NUBIFIE), had threatened to shut the three
affected banks on Tuesday over the controversial exit of some of their
staff.

Intercontinental
Bank had recently relieved 165 staff of their duties while Unity Bank
had, also two weeks ago, asked some of its staff to leave.

The banks claimed
that the layoffs were on grounds of non-performance and disciplinary
actions which they said is based on the terms of their employment,
which states that underperforming employees would not be retained by
the organisation.