The National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE) today announced a three-day cooling-off period from their dispute with commercial banks, but warned of tougher action to come should the banks refuse to cooperate with them to bring back industrial harmony.

Speaking to the media after chairing the national executive council meeting today, NUBE president Abdul Jalil Abdul Hamid said the union has only been taking the "soft approach" so far despite the poor response from the Malayan Commercial Banks Association (MCBA) on their demands.

The actions taken thus far included sending a memorandum to Human Resources Minister Dr Fong Chan Onn last month and holding a daily nationwide picket since last Thursday until today.

Disrespect to minister

"We cannot reveal our next course of actions (should the commercial banks fail to accept the union's demand) but it will definitely be within the law," said Abdul Jalil at NUBE headquarters.

However, he hoped the cooling-off period, to end Wednesday, would be used by the MCBA to heed Fong's advice on Saturday.

The minister (photo) had called on the association to resume the check off (which is an automatic deduction from monthly salary) to remit union subscription fees to the NUBE registered office, as demanded by NUBE.

On Fong's advice that the union and employers to maintain industrial harmony, NUBE said this can only be achieved if the banks and MCBA are willing to give their fullest cooperation.

"If MCBA is still adamant about things, then it only reflects disrespect to the minister and the ministry," said Abdul Jalil.

He said MCBA's failure to deduct the union subscription fees since the past two months clearly showed that it wanted to get rid of unions in commercial banks.

"So far, we have never received any official letter from the banks on why they don't deduct our members' monthly subscription fees. It is purely union-busting," he added.

No condition

Asked how NUBE would respond to the MCBA if the latter set a condition for a compromise, Abdul Jalil made it clear that no condition will be accepted.

"There is no such thing as conditions. It is a matter of 'yes' and 'no' only," he explained.

He also said that a letter has been sent to MCBA to request for a meeting.

"We will see how MCBA will act during the cooling-off period, and if it still refuses to listen to the minister, it will have to face further industrial action from the union," he added.

MCBA president Nik Hassan Nik Ahmad could not be reached for comment.

Last Thursday, some 200 disgruntled bank employees picketed outside the Bank Bumiputra Commerce in Kuala Lumpur.

The picket, part of a nationwide affair, was organised by the 28,000-strong National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE) to protest the abrupt termination by all commercial banks, of subscription deduction of union fees since Oct 22.