ITSIS workers accept mediator’s recommendations

Workers at the Bank of Ireland’s ITSIS subsidiary have voted to accept the recommendations of an independent mediator appointed to arbitrate in their dispute with the bank.

The ITSIS staff went on strike for 24 hours earlier this year in protest at the bank’s plans to outsource their jobs to the US computer giant Hewlett-Packard.

Bank of Ireland signed a seven-year contract with Hewlett-Packard, but the workers were only given job guarantees for three years.

The Irish Bank Officials Association (IBOA) said today that the recommendations of the independent mediator, Kieran Mulvey, included an obligation on Hewlett-Packard to formalise an arrangement whereby the IBOA could continue to represent the workers after they transferred from Bank of Ireland.

IBOA general secretary Larry Broderick said the workers’ acceptance of the recommendations was contingent on Hewlett-Packard also agreeing to the deal.

Mr Broderick said he would be seeking immediate meetings with the Bank of Ireland and Hewlett-Packard to ensure they upheld their part of the agreement.