Unions: Staff are ‘scapegoats for greed’

UNIONS at Ulster Bank and First Active have accused management of scapegoating staff for the mistakes and greed of Royal Bank of Scotland, and warned it will not accept any compulsory redundancies among the 750 job cuts.

Finance union IBOA, which represents 4,000 staff in Ulster Bank, and SIPTU, which represents 360 staff in First Active, issued a joint condemnation of the proposed cuts, and said when the two institutions are merged services to customers must be protected.

The unions said they remain to be convinced that 750 jobs need to be axed.

They believe there are other mechanisms, such as flexible work practices, which could allow more staff to be retained.

IBOA general secretary Larry Broderick said: “Our members feel very strongly that Ulster Bank Group staff are effectively being scapegoated for the mismanagement, incompetence and greed of senior management in RBS — Ulster Bank’s parent company.

“Management has indicated its willingness to negotiate on the proposed restructuring, so the first item on the agenda for our negotiations with management will be to establish whether this number of job losses is justified,” he said.

“We will be seeking clarification as to the likely impact on the business, on customers, and particularly on the staff who will remain with the bank.”

SIPTU branch organiser Owen Reidy said there was deep concern about the plan to cease First Active operations and close more than 50 branches.

“It has been a successful brand with a loyal customer base, in a traditionally profitable organisation,” he said. “Management must be flexible in looking at progressive and imaginative alternatives to redundancies.

“They must also be prepared to acknowledge their responsibilities under the national pay agreement. They have refused to pay the first phase so far and this must be on the table for negotiation, along with all the other issues.”

“The transfer of First Active staff to Ulster Bank must protect all of their existing conditions, including pensions, which are currently outside Transfer of Undertaking procedures. Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.”

The unions will meet on Thursday to plot their next course of action.

Fine Gael predicted thousands more finance jobs could follow the loss of those at First Active.

Enterprise spokesman Leo Varadkar said: “These are skilled financial staff who could reasonably have expected to stay with the banking group until their retirement. They join the 300,000-plus people now on the dole. Tragically, these redundancies are likely to be followed by thousands more in the financial sector.”