The Association of Bank Officers Peninsular Malaysia (Abom) - the national union for non-executive staff in commercial banks - has called off the picket scheduled today following a request by the industrial relations department.

Abom general secretary Ng Choo Seong said the union has decided to postpone the picket after receiving a verbal request from the department's director-general yesterday.

"We have decided to hold o­n until Monday. Let's see the outcome first."

On Tuesday, Abom announced plans for a staggered lunch-hour picket to protest over the unwillingness of their employers to accept some of their terms in the new collective agreement.

Hundreds of workers from five major banks had planned to picket outside the headquarters of RHB Bank, Allianz Bank, Eon Bank, Bank Islam and Ambank.

Collective agreement

The union's collective agreement - renewed every three years between Abom and the Malayan Commercial Banks Association (MCBA) - expired last December.

Negotiations had begun in October last year but soon reached a deadlock over differences in the salary adjustment issue.

Abom has about 5,000 members from 14 local and KL-based Singapore banks.

Ng said the IRD had also fixed a meeting with the banks o­n Monday in Putrajaya.

"We have also received a letter from the human resources minister referring the CA (collective agreement) matter for hearing."