Union urges customers to halt abuse of bank staff

A SENIOR trade union official has appealed to customers of Permanent TSB to refrain from abusing the bank’s staff in protest at its recent controversial decision to raise its mortgage interest rates.

Gerry Light, assistant general secretary of Mandate, which represents Permanent TSB clerical staff, said incidents of verbal abuse against the union’s members working at Permanent TSB were “not isolated”.

Mr Light expressed concern about several incidents at various outlets of Permanent TSB last Friday during which staff suffered verbal abuse. In one case, an employee was spat at by an angry customer.

He claimed it was also unacceptable that other bank staff had been subjected to taunts and abuse while socialising outside the workplace.

The Mandate official acknowledged that borrowers were angered by Permanent TSB’s decision to raise its standard variable rate for some mortgage holders by 0.5%, but said the situation was also very stressful for his members. Mr Light said the union had been running a campaign over the past year which emphasised to the public how staff members were not responsible for policy decisions taken by senior bankers.

Mandate has also expressed concern that some elements of the media encouraged some Permanent TSB customers to make complaints about the mortgage hike known by whatever means they could.

Meanwhile, the O’Connell Street branch of Permanent TSB in Dublin was picketed by members of the People Before Profit Alliance during lunchtime yesterday in protest at the bank’s decision to increase rates.

A small group of protesters waved placards criticising the bank’s greed and calling for the resignation of the Government over its refusal to take action against the bank.

Cllr Richard Boyd Barrett said the increase was unfair, as Permanent TSB owed its existence to the taxpayer who was funding guarantees to the bank.

Mr Boyd Barrett also criticised Finance Minister Brian Lenihan for failing to take any measures to stop the mortgage rate increase.

“He has effectively given the green light to other mortgage lenders to increase their rates,” said the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown councillor.

His party colleague, Cllr Bríd Smith, said many people were angered by the increase because they had already lost their jobs or had been forced to suffer wage cuts.

Calls to Permanent TSB for a comment were not returned.