Public Bank workers picket for justice
Unionised employees of Public Bank Bhd staged a noisy picket during lunch hour today at the bank's headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. They wore badges reading 'Public Bank Terrorises Workers'.
Shouting "we want justice" and carrying a banner with the words 'Public Bank please be honest', more than 100 staff members gathered at the lobby of the building in Jalan Ampang.
A delegation led by National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE) president Abd Jalil Abd Hamid tried to deliver a memorandum to CEO Dr Teh Hong Piaw, but was stopped by security guards. The picketeers then demanded that he come down from his office to accept the document.
This was part of a nationwide campaign launched last week to protest against the bank for "threatening, harassing and victimising" the workers.
Eight-point memorandum
Speaking to the reporters after submitting the memorandum to Teh's personal assistant, Abd Jalil said NUBE hoped the management would act on the grouses listed.
"We hope that the management will find a way to compromise with the staff or the union will continue the campaign," he said.
He refused to elaborate on the type of the action to be taken next, although it is learnt that a strike is likely.
The complaints include the bank's attempts to limit medical expenses, shorten lunch breaks, and to freeze annual increments and 4 percent retirement benefit.
The workers also allege that the bank is also using the appraisal system as a way of reducing overtime claims, as well as against those who fail in achieving "impossible tasks".
The eight-point memorandum, signed by Abd Jalil, demands that the CEO resolves the matter, since the bank's Human Resource Department has failed to do so.
Last week, NUBE deputy president Abdul Zaman Abdullah said the management had also violated collective agreements signed between the union and the Malayan Commercial Banks Association.
He said the bank's employees from various branches had lodged complaints with the union and the bank.
There are approximately 3,000 NUBE members at the190 Public Bank branches nationwide. The un ion has around 25,000 members.
Bank warns employees
Public Bank could not be reached for comment today. However, Human Resource Division general manager Jenny Cheng had e-mailed bank staff on Sept 19, denying that the bank was terrorising staff.
Cheng said it was unfair for NUBE to make such allegations publicly, when no employee had raised the issues with the management.
She urged the staff not wear the badge, describing those who are wearing it as failing "in their fiduciary duty as an employee of the bank".
"The management would prefer not to be compelled to take further action on the issue," warned Cheng.
The bank recorded a profit of RM650 million for the first half-year. This was an improvement of 8 percent against the same period last year. Its total assets stand at RM57.3 billion.
Public Bank was voted as the country's best local bank by Finance Asia for 2002, for the fourth consecutive year.
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