Unionisation: NLC Renews Battle Against 6 Banks
Ecobank, FSB, Fortune listed
By Chris Nwachuku
Six banks identified by organised labour as the major culprits in the renewed effort to unionise the banking sector may face a fresh labour crisis as Nigeria Labour Congress and its allies work out a review of the rate of compliance by the banks with the February agreement.
The banks are accused of frustrating every effort of both the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and other Financial Iinstitutions Employees, ASSBIFIE, and National Union of Banks, Insurance and other Financial Institutions Employees, NUBIFIE, to establish union presence in the organisations.
The decision to unionise the organisations is in line with the agreement brokered by the Ministry of Labour between NLC and banks' Managing Directors on the eve of the February showdown.
Among the banks listed for fresh assault are Ecobank, FSB, Fortune Bank and Chartered Bank.
NLC had in February threatened to shut down 56 banks for anti- labour practices, especially the refusal to recognise the unions in the sector, contrary to Nigerian labour laws and the conventions of International Labour Organisation on Freedom of Association. At the peak of the planned picketing and at the instance of Ministry of Labour met and signed an agreement. Part of it was that NLC should suspend its planned actions while banks throw their gates open to unions.
Already, the leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress, Congress of Free Trade Unions, Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees and their junior staff counterpart are scheduled to meet in Abuja early next week to work out fresh strategies on how to tackle the banks.
Most of the banks are said to have resisted attempts by union officials to hold meetings with the bank workers. Ecobank and Fortune Bank were accused of being involved in this act, consistently shifting dates for meetings. The management staff were also alleged to have used their stooges to counter the union officials.
Another bank is said to have imposed its management staff as union officials, thereby denying the workers their right to run the affairs of the organisation without undue influence from the employers.
A senior union official told THISDAY that labour would issue a fresh ulitmatum of not more than seven days to the banks to regularise their operations or face industrial action.
The source said the battle against the six banks is the first phase, noting that other banks that are yet to comply will also face similar punishment.
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