19 January 2001

DEADLOCKED!

SCBA wants SBEU to surrender safeguards

Banks want to withhold annual increment of staff who incur cash shortages

Our assistance and cooperation to banks during Economic crisis not appreciated at all

Despite our best efforts SCBA refuse increase its offer of 11% A salary adjustment by even a single sen. As we have make it known, SCBA's offer of 11% salary increase is inadequate due to the following reasons:

(a) MCBA has offered an increase of 11% to officers represented by ABOM. Senior Government officers including those in super scale are given a 10% increase recently.

(b) The banking industry is expected to generate dramatic increase in profits due to the better economic climate.

(c) Profits per employee will also dramatically increase due to the mergers, where the expected redundancies and rationalization will result in less bank employees having to serve more customers and to handle more complicated transactions and in higher volume.

(d) The job-value of our members has increased tremendously with banks launching various new products and services. They also have to cope with the merger process and system integration as well as coping with different corporate culture.

(e) The greater competition amongst banks is also creating very demanding workload and expectations are higher stress for our members.

(f) Our members are now required to performing sales and marketing activities even after office hours, in shopping centres, at home and even during social /personal activities.

SBEU therefore strongly believe that members deserve an increase of at least 14% for Special Grade, 16% for Clerical and 20% for Non Clerical. Our request is more than reasonable. The 20% salary increase is for non-clerical who salary are the lowest. They made up less than 10% of the staff in the Banks.

During the economic downturn, SBEU has extensively co-operated and worked very closely with all banks to reduce cost and improve efficiency. This is not appreciated at all

SCBA have totally rejected our request to increase EPF contribution to 18% despite thefact that:

(a) Government employees who opt out of pension scheme into EPF are entitled to 17.5% contribution.

(b) Some bank executives are paid up to 19%.

(c) We even agreed to reduce EPF contributions of our members. 

SURRENDER SAFEGUARDS

The banks are prepared to offer RM500 delivery charges and for only the first two children. However they want SBEU to to give up safeguards that prevent the banks to employ temporary and contract staff. The banks wants absolute description to employ as many temporary staff and contract staff as they want and for as long as they want. This would mean that the banks can employ a contract staff, for 10 years, without the benefits of the Collective Agreement and who may not be able to be union members.

Banks are already paying delivery charges for their officers and managers. Further, the delivery charges will only benefit a small minority. This is clearly a ploy by the Banks to hide a devious agenda- to dilute employees rights to be represented by SBEU

SBEU's proposals on other key areas such as Acting allowances, Child care subsidy, medical check up, outsourcing, Pilgrimage leave, Spectacles, meal allowance, housing loans & sexual harassment are rejected. 

SBEU has no choice but to declare a deadlock and to take whatever actions necessary to protect the interest of bank employees

1. Members are hereby instructed to wear protest badges. Members are to prepare for picketing.