…as NBG staff form breakaway union
The militant bankers union, ETYK, faced with the humiliation of a breakup in its ranks over the dispute with National Bank of
The walkout was announced by ETYK boss Loizos Hadjicostis, who also said the union would submit a strike benefit to the employees of NBG. Monday’s stoppage was supposed to last from 12.30pm to 2.30pm but was cancelled after the union came under a barrage of protest from KEVE, OEV and public opinion shifted against it.
Hadjicostis said the union had decided to help the employees, since the bank had the obligation to pay their salaries in the first place. Hadjicostis said: “The sum will cover three-quarters of the lost salaries with a maximum sum of CYP1,000 for 22 days of lock out. The National Bank employees will have to present the payment slip and will have to sign a solemn declaration that they have not worked for the bank during the lock out.
Hadjicostis clarified that ETYK would not give a strike benefit to employees who have been struck off by the union, and criticised the fact that in certain NBG branches there are certain employees who serve specific customers, hinting that the bank is lying when it says that its operations are paralysed.
Earlier this month, the bank called a lockout after four employees at its IT department went on strike, reportedly on the orders of ETYK. The four employees allegedly took with them the access codes to the computer network.
The dispute between the union and NBG arose after three employees from the bank’s Greece headquarters were seconded to its Cyprus branch.
ETYK insists the seconding of staff is subject to its approval, according to collective agreements in force in the banking sector. It worries that local staff may be passed over if such practices are not checked.
NBG’s view is that they reserve the right to hire anyone for any amount of time, needing permission only from the Labour Ministry. The bank has also cited the EU acquis on the free movement of labour.
NBG general manager Michalis Kokkinos said it was the union’s stance that was hurting employees at NBG, not the other way round.
Breakaway union
Disgruntled staff at Ethniki announced the formation of their own independent union, adding that the decision was made after “intense deliberation and following requests from many NBG colleagues, who without being asked have been living in uncertainty†due to the ongoing strike.
In his first statement as president of the Employees of the National Bank of Greece (Cyprus) Union (SYPETE), Andreas Koutsoumbas, said the strike had been the result of unilateral actions by bank union ETYK and was called against the wishes of NBG employees.
As of Friday evening, the union had signed on 26 members, which put the foundling group in business. A union needs at least 21 members to be formed, but Koutsoumbas said he was confident their number would increase.
The NBG currently employs some 260 staff.
Labour Minister Antonis Vasiliou said he had requested the opinion of Attorney-general Petros Clerides on which role his ministry could play in easing the situation.The minister will now examine the AG’s report with an intermediary team to form a strategy for a solution.
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