Bank staff back on job – for now

Staff at Global Bank of Commerce have suspended industrial action against the company following discussions by the bank’s management with the Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union (ABWU).
At a press conference yesterday, the ABWU issued a letter indicating strike action against the bank, stating it felt disrespected by the bank’s representatives during negotiations.
Industrial Relations Officer for ABWU Fernando Samuels told reporters the bank’s representatives were cruel, disingenuous, and negotiating in bad faith.
“The union finds the bank’s action to be extremely disrespectful to not only the employees and their representatives, who were ready to discuss the longstanding matters, but also [disrespectful to] the office of the Labour Commissioner. The union also views the behavior of the bank to be disingenuous and goes against the principle of good industrial relations to the loyal staff who continue to work diligently,” he said.
According to the union, the bank failed to provide an update on issues that were put on hold following initial talks which ended on April 30, 2018.
Prior to yesterday’s discussions, the bank’s representatives were expected to meet with ABWU officials and the Labour Commissioner at the Labour Department on Tuesday.
However, Global allegedly informed the Labour Department and the union of its [the bank’s] unavailability 20 minutes AFTER the meeting was scheduled to begin.
The union was supposed to meet with bank staff concerning their next move after the press conference, but the bank’s call to the ABWU put that meeting on hold.
On the discussion table for the two parties were, among other things, issues relating to staff training, hours of work, overtime, maternity leave, study leave and salaries.