The Association Of Senior Staff Of Banks, Insurance And Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI), has described as unfair the labour practices being perpetrated against hardworking and struggling Nigerians workers employed in Heritage Bank PLC.
This comment was made by Comrade Olusoji Oluwole, President of ASSBIFI, at a press briefings in Lagos.
Comrade Oluwole, made the comment while reacting to the disengagement and refusal to settle severance benefits of its over 30 exited members by the management of Heritage Bank PLC..
Oluwole who said that the management of Heritage Bank PLC, had refused any dialogue with the union as provided by law, added that the organisation continues to insist that it terminated the workers appointment based on their company policy.
Recall that Heritage Bank PLC, had in May, 2023 without due process sacked over 30 people including principal national officer of the association.
Speaking on how it intend to handle the situation, Oluwole said; “ASSBIFI will deploy all its networks and contacts to mobilise affiliate trade unions and Nigerian workers towards protecting the rights and privileges of our members in Heritage Bank PLC., over outright violation of Section 20 of the Labour Act, Cap L1, LFN 2004, the ASSBIFI Industry Wide Collective Agreement, and the ILO Convention 158 on Termination of Employment.
“Our frustration trying to amicably settle the myriad of unfair labour practices that the Management of Heritage bank has continually perpetrated on vulnerable Nigerian workers.
“This action was condemned by ASSBIFI as an outright violation of Section 20 of the Labour Act, Cap L1, LFN 2004, the ASSBIFI Industry Wide Collective Agreement, and the ILO Convention 158 on Termination of Employment, which specifically provided that “the employment of a workershallnotbeterminatedunlessthere is a valid reason for such termination”.
“This has been rightly recognised by the National Industrial Court (NIC), and we abide with it.
He specifically said: “As the Statutory Representative of Senior Employees in the Nigeria Financial Sector, and in line with our policy on social dialogue, ASSBIFI engaged the Management of Heritage Bank on several occasions to demand justice for the vulnerable Nigerian workers’ whose employmentswerewrongfullyterminated
“The Management insisted to have terminated the workers based on their company policy, without negotiation or dialogue with the Union as provided by law.
“ASSBIFI requested the Management of the Bank to supply the Company Policy and Details of the claimed payments and settlements of the severance benefits paid to the disengaged Employees.
Meanwhile, a senior staff of Heritage bank, who craves anonymity, in chats with Daily Independent, said: “The management of Heritage Bank Plc has not closed the negotiation door of dialogue, and will continue to dialogue with ASSBIFI on workers’ welfare”
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