The National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE) has staged a protest at the head office of the Heritage Bank in Victoria Island over alleged wrongful disengagement and refusal to settle severance benefits of about 1000 exited workers.
The leaders and members of the union, while chanting solidarity songs, expressed their dissatisfaction at the sacking of about 1,000 workers of the bank, reports Sunday Independent.
With placards bearing words like, ‘CBN, call Heritage Bank to order’, ‘N90,000 benefits for 15 years’ service is dehumanizing’, ‘Banking is not slavery, stop dehumanising workers’, ‘Stop your anti-union policy’, the protesters demanded that the affected workers should be well compensated.
Addressing the gathering, the President of NUBIFIE, Comrade Anthony Abakpa said that despite the union’s efforts to seek justice for the workers through negotiation and dialogue, the bank terminated their employment without following due process and failed to provide documentation of severance benefits paid.
Abakpa emphasised that these employees had dedicated years of service to the bank, ranging from 14 to 18 years, and criticized the bank for leaving them without any compensation, calling it “exploitation and injustice of the worst order”.
“The bank paid stipend of N90, 000 for a worker that has served them for more than l5 years.
“This is a criminal act and we cannot take it any longer. We will continue with these activities until our demand is met.”
The General Secretary of the union, Comrade Sheikh Mohammed said the picketing is based on the wrongful retrenchment of workers without following due process by the management.
He said the bank refused to settle severance benefits of the sacked workers who are members of the association after disengaging them.
“We shall not hesitate to deploy all its networks and contacts to mobilise affiliate trade unions and Nigerian workers towards protecting the rights and privileges of our members in this institution,” he said.
Responding, the Head of human Resources of the bank, Mother Dan Egwu, said all the severance benefits and pension of the affected workers have been paid through the Service Providers, who according to her their contract with the bank has also been terminated.
Moving forward she said the bank is ready to engage with the union so as to sort out the problem.
