Staff end industrial action after talks secure pay increases
For the past fortnight, workers on the company’s Bank of Ireland account had refused to provide any out-of-hours service or technical support in protest that a pay increase agreed when the workers were outsourced from the bank to Hewlett Packard had not been forthcoming. The increases were paid in 2005, but not in 2006.
The financial union, the Irish Bank Officials’ Association (IBOA), which had represented the workers when they were with Bank of Ireland, was still representing them in their new employment with HP.
However, the company does not recognise trade unions for bargaining purposes.
Nevertheless both sides agreed to go to the Labour Relations Commission two weeks ago. However, the matter broke down on and the industrial action was put in place.
Over the weekend, there were prolonged negotiations with an independent third party, former rights commissioner Janet Hughes.
Those talks drew to a conclusion yesterday. It was agreed that:
HP would honour all existing arrangements for staff on the Bank of Ireland account.
HP would ensure that members’ salaries for 2007 are in line with the above arrangement.
Both parties would enter into discussions over a four month period, to address all issues related to the streamlining of staff’s terms and conditions of employment within the Hewlett Packard account.
Larry Broderick, of the bank officials’ association, said: “IBOA welcomes Ms Hughes’s recommendation which vindicates our members’ action in that it ensures commitments entered into with the union at time of transfer will now be honoured.
“What is particularly encouraging is HP’s commitment to enter into detailed discussions with IBOA on all aspects of our members’ terms and conditions into the future. We welcome the fact that the company is prepared to engage with us in the integration of our members.
