HSBC receives strike threats by infuriated staff |
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Wed, 30 Mar 2005 01:00
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A flood of strikes over compensation is expected to drench HSBC, the richest bank in Britain.
The first demonstration of the protest with about 25,000 staff making a 24-hour walkout could happen alongside the HSBC shareholders meeting scheduled for the May 27. This walkout could see bank branches bringing their shutters down for four consecutive days so pay attention if you need some money or banking facilities in branch on these days.
| Amicus union members have decided to demonstrate their protest at the conference, and are also planning to hand over flyers to customers at as many as 1,600 of the banks’ branches to gain sympathy.
In fact, senior union members were found to have called for a ‘council of war’ wherein these protest decisions were taken. This assembly followed the firm’s recent declaration of its annual profits record of an impressive £10billion.
The union members said that the conditions of this year's salary proposal only implied that the 2500 employees of the call centers would stand to gain, leaving zilch for the bank branches’ employees. They were also offended over the company’s plans to slash bonuses and said that the compensation offered to them was simply contemptible and would leave them standing just where they were last year. HSBC had decided not to raise wages of up to 10 per cent of the staff, along with a below-inflation rise for another 40 per cent.
Mr. Rob O'Neill, Amicus national officer said, “How can a bank which is making so much money squeeze the pay of exactly the same staff that have contributed to the success of the business and expect them to take it lying down?”
He explained further saying that the bank would rack up profits which would solely benefit the shareholders and the boardroom, leaving the staff with empty hands. He asserted that the union would hold continuous strikes and demonstrations to make HSBC give them an equitable share of profits like it did to the shareholders and board members.
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