HSBC sit-in strike enters second day

The Malta Union of Bank Employees has decided to continue with industrial action at HSBC after the union claimed that there had been “no sign of goodwill from the bank”.

MUBE claimed that the “intransigent and arrogant approach” towards the Maltese workforce by the international bank was the main cause of the current dispute.

“This follows HSBC’s unilateral decision to pull out of an agreement which MUBE insists it had agreed way back in August last year. The MUBE will continue with its directive which calls for a SIT-IN type of strike action for today Thursday 2nd April 2015. MUBE also understands that the directive might have its own direct unwarranted impact on customer service and therefore regrets any inconvenience caused.”

On its website, HSBC said it was disappointed at the unions’ continued actions as these would negatively impact service to customers. “Multifunctional ATM service is available in all branches, and emergency cash withdrawals are available from our Paola, Valletta and Sliema branches during normal banking hours, Whist apologising for any inconveniences caused due to the industrial action, we will endeavour to minimise these as much as possible,” the bank said.

The MUBE is encouraging staff to continue supporting the directives by obeying a directive which calls for a sit-in type of strike action for Wednesday 1 April.

“MUBE insists that the bank must make a better effort to bargain fairly and be practical with all categories of staff across the board and ensure that this is achieved. MUBE also understands that the directive might have its own direct unwarranted impact on customer service and therefore regrets any inconvenience caused.”

On Friday, MUBE issued a communications ban directive at HSBC Bank Malta, following the serious disagreement in negotiations for a new collective agreement.

“MUBE is seriously concerned with HSBC’s behaviour and attitude towards the local workforce which is undermining career prospects to local hardworking employees. The Union cannot accept such an intransigent approach to negotiations whereby the bank has decided to unilaterally withdraw an originally agreed collective agreement at the end of last August’s negotiations,” the union said.

The union said that no reasonable efforts to seriously negotiate were forthcoming from HSBC management. “This has been also aggravated by unacceptably low increases in salary and mediocre bonus awards which emanated from a unilateral decision taken by the bank outside the collective agreement negotiations,” the union said.

“Whilst HSBC is adamant on holding back on local negotiations, MUBE is constantly receiving feedback that management is effectively spending much more on international recruits who are being paid ‘hefty’ financial packages and who seem to be leaving a negative impact on the balance sheet to the detriment of local employees.”