NBG Cyprus declares lock-out

The National Bank of Greece (Cyprus), dogged by the strike declared by the militant bank employees’ union ETYK last week, has declared a “lock-out” at all 20 branches to counter the strike measures over a labour dispute.

This follows last week’s decision whereby the Cyprus wholly-owned subsidiary of the National Bank of Greece (Ethniki) walked out of the Cyprus Bankers Association.

The bank said that it called on ETYK to recall its strike decision and allow personnel to resume work, otherwise it would resort to other actions, in this case a lock-out, whereby staff will not be allowed to return, even if they want to, and will be subject to a pay cut.

The union, upset over the hiring of four management personnel – two of whom from Greece – without its approval, ordered the five staff of NBG Cyprus’ data processing centre to walk out last Wednesday and forced its members working in other banks not to handle any NBG transactions or clear any NBG cheques, effectively crippling the bank and its customers.

In an announcement issued Tuesday, NBG Cyprus said that 180 of its 260 staff union members opposed the strike action but could not convince the ETYK leadership to call off the action.

The bank also claims that it has complied with all local and EU labour regulations and was not at all obliged to inform the union of some of the hirings – two were former employees, one has been retained despite reaching retirement and one was a new recruit from the NBG Group. The latter two have also joined the NBG Cyprus board.

The bank said that it had informed the relevant authorities of its intentions and hiring actions from last August.

As is normal practice within the Industrial Relations Code, the unions should have filed their complaint to the Labour Ministry’s mediation service and then called a strike, which may now be considered as “illegal” and in violation of collective labour agreements.

The NBG management said it will take the issue to Brussels.