EBS BUILDINGSOCIETY
WORKERS VOTE FOR CHRISTMAS STRIKE
Unite members at the EBS Building Society have voted
overwhelmingly to take strike action during Christmas week.
98 per cent of the 84 per cent of UNITE’s 300 members at the
financial institution who voted, did so in favour of taking action
in anger at the withholding by the company of a 13th
month payment this week.
This payment has been made in each of the last 45 years to all
staff, but this year it has only been paid to managerial staff who
had the option to change the structure of their pay package some
years ago.
The same offer to change that structure was never made to staff,
who presently earn an average salary of less than €30,000 per
annum.
“We were given no notice that this payment was to be withheld,”
said UNITE Regional Officer Colm Quinlan, speaking after the
counting of votes today.
“When staff were advised last week that only managers would
receive the payment, the level of anger was as strong as I have
ever seen.”
“The idea that the Department of Finance can decide the fate of
Christmas in hundreds of households with no notice in advance is so
wrong as to unbelievable.”
“That the payment is only being withheld from the regular
workers and not management, would really not be out of place in a
modern retelling of Scrooge.”
More than 300 UNITE members will now take strike action during
Christmas week, the precise details of which will be announced
later today after the company has been served formal notice.
End
Further information:
Colm Quinlan, UNITE Regional Officer 087
6299651
Rob Hartnett, UNITE Communications Officer 086
3851955
