Polaris Bank, union meeting on sack of workers ends in deadlock

The National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE) has said the meeting held between it and Polaris Bank management over the sack of its members ended inconclusively.

The Secretary-General, NUBIFIE, Mr Mohammed Sheikh, told our reporter on Wednesday in Lagos that the meeting ended with nothing tangible to hold on to.

It was reported that the union had on June 6, 2023, picketed the head office of the bank in Victoria Island of Lagos State over alleged violation of workers’ rights.

The union’s secretary-general accused the bank management of sacking workers without following due process required by labour laws.

The bank, however, had handed the union a letter, inviting it to a meeting to discuss and negotiate on the way forward.

Sheikh said: “We just finished the meeting, but unfortunately, the meeting could not conclude because of the fact that the demands we put across to them, the management said it may not be able to carry out the demands.

“The demand that went across was for us to have a level playing ground for negotiation.

“They are to first and foremost withdraw those sack letters and recall those workers; then we can now sit down and discuss on behalf of the workers.

“So, they declined, and said we should go ahead and discuss what the sacked workers are entitled to.

“However, we told them that our principal gave us the mandate, that firstly, in order to commence discussion, they have to rectify the wrong that they committed.

“So, it is on the grounds that we left; so, there was nothing tangible that came out of the meeting.”

The labour leader said the union would hold a Congress to discuss, and would arrive at what the next line of action would be.

According to him, the picketing held on June 6, was suspended temporarily because the management invited the union and gave a letter for a meeting.

“However, when we review the situation, we can now know the appropriate next line of action to take,” Sheikh said.

Earlier, the bank management had said that it did not violate any law in a recent disengagement of some staff, which it said was done in line with the terms of the contract guiding their engagements.

In a statement signed by the bank’s Group Head, Brand Management and Corporate Communication, Mr Nduneche Ezurike, it however said that it had engaged and would continue to engage the union to resolve any lingering labour matters.

“Polaris Bank remains committed to fostering a harmonious working relationship and ensuring the well-being of its employees,” the bank said.