Bank workers continue strike

By PEARSON KOLO

 

BANK South Pacific workers nationwide are expected to continue their strike today despite a court order by the bank’s management declaring the industrial action illegal, The National reports.

The strike has already threatened all electronic banking systems with no bank officers available to attend to them.

Long queues were seen in all Bank South Pacific branches in Port Moresby last Friday as customers lined up to do their banking with only a skeleton staff attending to them.

Customers are expected to brace for a total blackout today.

Last Friday, more than 500 BSP staff in Port Moresby camped at the PNG Trade Union Congress headquarters and were visited by 20 affiliated union bodies of the PNG Trade Union Congress.

The presidents of the union bodies joined in and called for the sacking of BSP CEO Ian Clyne, saying he had turned a blind eye on the issue and gone overseas and had not taken part in the negotiations.

PNGTUC president Michael Malabag, who is also the president of the Public Employees Association said one of their calls was to call for the termination of BSP CEO.

Malabag’s call for Clyne’s sacking received wide applause from the striking workers.

Malabag and PNGTUC general secretary John Paska voiced strong words of encouragement among the striking bankers as reports circulated that the BSP management had issued instructions to the police to arrest the striking workers.

Malabag said the fight was legal as legitimate processes were followed with the sister unions stepping in when it was absolutely necessary.

He urged the workers to persist until they got what they wanted while room for negotiation was open.

“The biggest shareholders are the workers themselves; you can’t sack the workers who are shareholders. Do not fear intimidation and threats of sacking.”

The union asked BSP board chairman Noreo Beangke to step in and address the issue

The BSP workers numbering more than 1,000 walked off their jobs last Thursday with a good number camping at the TUC headquarters last Friday.

A meeting between the union executives and BSP management will take place today to decide whether the striking bankers would continue the industrial action or return to work.